Lotte Dept. Store introduces AI for internal operations

South Korea's Lotte Department Store announced on Sunday that it will introduce artificial intelligence (AI) across all internal operations, aiming to enhance productivity and elevate customer service.

The move follows Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin's call earlier this year to sharpen the conglomerate's competitive edge through AI adoption.

Initially, Lotte Department Store will introduce a conversational AI chatbot into its work manuals based on Lotte Group's AI platform, Aimember.

By categorizing over 100 internal work manuals into five types, the company claims to have reduced information search time by more than 90%.

The chatbot provides information on welfare systems, accounting, and product displays based on employees' inquiries.

ChatGPT has been integrated, enabling tasks such as generating advertising copy, writing customized emails for partners, and summarizing and translating documents.

The company is also creating visual content using generative AI. In June, Lotte Department Store utilized the generative AI MidJourney for image work in its revamped wedding service, Lotte Wedding Members, minimizing time and cost for equipment rental, photography, and sourcing models and locations.

AI solutions will also be implemented in in-store environment maintenance and safety management.

AI-based cleaning robots will be deployed across 18 locations, including department stores, shopping malls, and outlets in July. 

The company plans to enhance security by installing intelligent CCTV systems based on AI algorithms within the year, and conducting trial operations of AI quadrupedal patrol robots with autonomous driving capabilities.

Lotte Department Store established South Korea's first AI interpretation service in the retail sector in April, deployed at its Jamsil branch in Seoul.

This service offers real-time translation support in 13 languages, including English, Japanese, and Chinese.

Write to Ji-Yoon Yang at yang@hankyung.com