AVITA and Fainders.AI Launch Cross-Border Pilot for AI-Enhanced Customer Support in Unmanned Retail StoresAVITA Inc. (Head Office: Meguro-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Hiroshi Ishiguro; hereinafter “AVITA”) has begun a joint initiative with Fainders.AI Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Seocho-gu, Seoul; CEO: Myungwon Ham; hereinafter “FAI”), a Korean company providing retail solutions powered by advanced AI technologies.Through this collaboration, AVITA’s avatar customer service platform AVACOM will be introduced into unmanned AI-powered stores operated by FAI. The service will strengthen customer touchpoints—such as returns and exchange guidance, store navigation, and first-level support during issues—through AI avatars, enabling a smoother and more reliable shopping experience.BackgroundJapan and Korea both face accelerating demographic decline and serious labor shortages, particularly in the retail and service sectors. As a result, the adoption of unmanned stores has advanced rapidly as a potential solution. However, as these stores grow in number, operators require new technologies that enable efficient store management while still delivering essential customer support—especially around tasks such as returns, inquiries, and responding to unexpected situations.This initiative represents a symbolic collaboration between Japanese and Korean startups in the fields of AI, avatars, and unmanned retail, aiming to establish a next-generation retail model combining the strengths of both countries.FAI provides unmanned store solutions leveraging Vision AI, which analyzes human and object movements from video data—a technology proven in Korea and other global markets. AVITA, meanwhile, has implemented avatar solutions across major convenience store chains and a wide range of retail and service industries in Japan.Together, the two companies aim to create an experimental model that delivers efficient, human-centered customer experiences—balancing operational automation with warm, personalized support.Pilot Store OverviewPilot Period: February 18, 2025 – August 17, 2025 (6 months)Location: SuperSwift1337-6 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, SeoulScope of AI Avatar Customer Experience:Return and exchange guidanceStore navigation and first-level support during issuesMultilingual support (Japan–Korea) and moreFuture OutlookThis initiative marks an important step in which Japanese and Korean companies collaborate to address shared social challenges. Leveraging multilingual capabilities and cross-cultural understanding, AVITA and FAI aim to establish a Japan–Korea co-creation model and will continue to advance technology development and expand partnerships, with an eye toward global expansion to other Asian markets and beyond.About the Avatar Customer Service “AVACOM”AVACOM is an online customer service platform powered by AVITA’s avatar technology, generative AI, and other AI-driven capabilities.The service supports multiple platforms and enhances customer engagement through AI-powered automation and remote (tele-operated) avatar customer service. AVACOM contributes to increasing online sales and conversions, improving inquiry-handling efficiency, reducing or eliminating on-site staffing needs at stores and reception desks, and addressing labor shortages.Since its launch in 2022, AVACOM has already been introduced at hundreds of locations, helping organizations strengthen customer touchpoints, improve operational efficiency, and resolve staffing challenges.The service has also enabled a new style of employment known as the “avatar worker,” in which individuals can work remotely through an avatar regardless of their physical location.AVACOM Service Page >If you would like to request materials (free) or try a hands-on demo of AVACOM (free), please feel free to contact us.Contact Us >■ About Fainders.AIFainders.AI (FAI) provides innovative retail solutions powered by AI technologies under the mission of “delivering convenience to customers and improving profitability for stores.” With a focus on Asia—including South Korea and Singapore—the company is expanding globally and currently operates seven stores worldwide, with a goal of scaling its services to over 300 stores by 2027.Name: Fainders.AI Co., Ltd.Representative: CEO Myungwon HamLocation: 13F, 511TOWER, 1338-11 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South KoreaEstablished: 2020Business Description: Planning, development, and sales of the AI image recognition self-checkout “VISION CHECK-OUT” and AI unmanned store solution “WALK THROUGH”URL: https://fainders.ai/en■ About AVITAAVITA aims to “evolve humanity with avatars” by leveraging avatar and generative AI technologies to create working environments free from the constraints of appearance, gender, age, or location, and to realize a society where everyone can thrive in their own way.Name: AVITA Inc.Representative: Hiroshi Ishiguro, President & CEOExecutives: Shogo Nishiguchi, Director & COO; Hideshi Hamaguchi, Outside DirectorLocation: 1-8-1 Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, TokyoEstablished: June 2021Business Description: Development of services utilizing avatars and generative AI (including the avatar-based customer service solution “AVACOM” and the AI role-play training solution “AvaTre”), as well as marketing support leveraging avatars and generative AIURL: https://avita.co.jp/en