AI Waiter Debuts at Hong Kong Airport, Trilingual Ordering Ready
SingTao · 3 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A locally developed AI dining system named "AI Waiter" was officially launched at Hong Kong International Airport on August 7, becoming the city's first restaurant to deploy the technology . The system supports voice interaction in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, and can handle complex local orders like "tea without milk" and "iced lemon tea less sweet less ice" . Founder Lo Kwok-on aims to keep monthly costs within one employee's salary while helping the industry address chronic staff shortages .
Key Points
- The system was developed over 18 months with tens of thousands of hours of training to understand Hong Kong dining terminology .
- It offers six intelligent roles including AI ambassador, management assistant, operations assistant, training master, universal tool, and analytics manager .
- Airport-specific features include real-time flight and weather queries, with meal suggestions based on boarding time .
- The system can detect food allergies during conversation and alert customers or staff to potential risks .
- Over 20 restaurants have already signed up, with targets of 30-50 by end of 2026 and 100 by Q2 2027 .
Why It Matters
The launch represents a significant step in Hong Kong's catering industry toward AI transformation and digital upgrading . With government officials endorsing the technology as a response to labor shortages and changing consumer patterns, the system could serve as a model for broader service industry automation across the city .
The launch represents a significant step in Hong Kong's catering industry toward AI transformation and digital upgrading . With government officials endorsing the technology as a response to labor shortages and changing consumer patterns, the system could serve as a model for broader service industry automation across the city .