In a move that can be called curious, a major Japanese supermarket chain, AEON, has installed an AI system designed to measure the smiles of its staff.
Dubbed “Mr. Smile,” the technology analyzes over 450 elements of employee behaviour, from facial expressions to tone of voice, all in the name of improving customer service.
On the surface, the idea seems innocuous. After all, who doesn’t appreciate a cheerful cashier? However, critics argue that this is surveillance in disguise, a step too far into the realm of corporate control over employee emotion. Although on a different approach, it can also encourage employees to stay more positive in their lives.
The system is designed to “standardize” smiles, raising concerns about stifling individuality and creating a pressure cooker work environment.
While AEON claims a trial run boosted service attitudes by up to 1.6 times, the human cost of such a system remains unclear.
As AI continues to seep into every corner of our lives, questions about privacy, autonomy, and the very nature of work are becoming increasingly urgent.
AEON is the world’s first company to use AI to measure the attitudes of customer-facing employees. “Mr Smile”, was developed by the Japanese technology company InstaVR. AEON said it ran a trial of the system in eight stores with about 3,400 staff members. What are your thoughts about this.
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