Aeon, a major Japanese supermarket chain, has initiated the use of an innovative AI system aimed at evaluating and standardizing employee smiles. On July 1, Aeon announced the implementation of a “smile-rating AI system” – named “Mr Smile” – across 240 stores throughout Japan, marking Aeon as the pioneer in employing this technology.
Developed by the Japanese company InstaVR, Mr Smile is designed to accurately assess employees’ demeanor and rate their overall attitude based on more than 450 factors, including greeting, facial expressions, voice volume, and tone. Aeon’s goal with this technology is to “standardize staff members’ smiles and satisfy customers to the maximum.” Mr Smile includes game-like features to motivate employees to improve their scores and, as a result, enhance their “service attitude.” Aeon reported that during a successful trial of the AI software in eight of its stores, involving about 3,400 employees, the “service attitude” improved by 1.6 times over three months. This positive outcome led to the decision to roll out the system to all Aeon stores.
The continuous monitoring and evaluation of employees’ smiles throughout their shifts will likely lead to noticeable changes in their behavior, particularly in a culture like Japan’s, which places a high value on maintaining a positive public image or “saving face.” While the intention is to enhance customer satisfaction and service quality, the concept of having one’s smile scrutinized by AI might evoke mixed feelings among employees.
Despite its innovative approach, the introduction of Mr Smile raises concerns reminiscent of a dystopian scenario from the TV series Black Mirror, where technology intrudes into personal and emotional aspects of daily life. The implications of such constant monitoring on employees’ mental well-being and genuine job satisfaction remain to be seen as Aeon continues to navigate this new frontier in customer service optimization.
