On March 10, 2026, the Fourth China Unmanned Retail Industry Conference took place in Wuxi, focusing on the theme "Change and Constancy—The Evolution of Unmanned Retail." The event gathered over 450 fast-moving consumer goods brands, hardware manufacturers, and operators to explore new technological models and trends in the sector, aiming for collaborative growth.
Notably, Cai Liang, CTO of Feng E Zu Shi, presented on "Technological Solutions to Unmanned Retail Challenges." He highlighted common obstacles in the industry, including site expansion difficulties, inaccurate product distribution, and inefficient supply chain management. Over the past four years, Feng E Zu Shi has invested 250 million yuan in AI technology, significantly scaling up its smart cabinet operations to 180,000 units, positioning AI as the core driver of business growth.
Cai introduced the "FIOW Pilot," an AI retail intelligence system that makes millions of operational decisions daily across a vast network of shelves and SKUs with minimal human intervention. This system functions like "autonomous driving" for retail management, mitigating high operational costs and addressing human resource challenges in the sector.
Contrary to conventional price wars, Feng E Zu Shi has adopted a technology-first approach. The firm continues to enhance operational efficiency while maintaining a 100% direct management model, which aids in rapid AI integration and reduces costs associated with manual oversight.
The development of the "FIOW Pilot" and its supporting components—Field Pilot, Link Pilot, Opti Pilot, and Work Pilot—enables refined decision-making across market expansion, product management, supply chain logistics, and fulfillment. This holistic AI-driven strategy could capture growth in underserved markets, ultimately unlocking substantial business potential in the unmanned retail space.
