CJ Olive Young introduces AI shopping assistant for foreign customers

CJ Olive Young announced Wednesday that it will introduce an AI-based in-store service to improve the shopping experience for foreign customers.

The company will first deploy an "AI shopping assistant" at multi-floor stores with a high proportion of foreign visitors. The kiosk-based service lets customers chat in real time with an AI avatar for a self-guided shopping experience. Available in eight languages, it offers product descriptions, stock checks and in-store navigation, as well as personalized product recommendations based on skin type and preferences.

Frequently asked questions — including payment methods and VAT refund procedures — are also accessible via a touchscreen, freeing staff to focus on in-depth consultations and customer service. The system also provides a data-driven dashboard giving store managers an at-a-glance view of customer dwell time and common inquiries.

One-on-one consultations will be supported by a separate "AI interpretation service." The feature builds on a portable translation device the company introduced in 2024, adding AI technology to improve accuracy and expanding language support to 38 languages. Trained on data specific to the K-beauty retail environment, the system accurately conveys specialized terminology related to cosmetics ingredients and skin concerns. Customers can join a real-time chat by scanning a QR code shown by a staff member, or speak directly with staff through a tablet microphone.

Olive Young plans to roll out the services first at multi-floor stores with high foreign-visitor traffic and strong demand for shopping information, before expanding them to stores nationwide. "We will establish ourselves as a global hub where customers from around the world can experience K-beauty up close, through a shopping environment free of language barriers," a company official said.