Seven-Eleven to overhaul staff with humanoids

October 22, 2025

The Japanese retail chain Seven-Eleven is preparing for a technological revolution in retail — the company announced a partnership with Tokyo-based startup Telexistence to deploy humanoid robots Astra in its 20,000 stores across Japan by 2029.

Astra is designed to handle tasks such as stocking shelves, cleaning, and basic customer interactions. These robots will not just be pilot projects — Seven-Eleven and Telexistence plan full implementation in response to the country’s chronic labor shortages.

Telexistence has already seen success with its “Ghost” robots that restock drinks in Tokyo stores, and that experiment now serves as a testbed for Astra. The project also involves Toyota and leading Japanese universities to ensure the humanoids are adapted to real retail needs.

If successful, Japan could become the first country in the world with a mass humanoid workforce. Rather than being just a YouTube attraction, Astra could become a symbol of a new era — where automated workers truly take over everyday tasks and prove that humanoids can also be economically viable.

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