Amazon is set to revolutionize its Just Walk Out technology by integrating a new multimodal foundation model to enhance the checkout-free shopping experience. This upgrade promises to improve accuracy, streamline deployment, and optimize the overall efficiency of the system.
The newly introduced AI model advances the Just Walk Out technology by incorporating various data inputs, including lighting conditions and shopper behaviors. Unlike its predecessor, which analyzed sensor and camera data sequentially, the updated system processes these inputs simultaneously. This integration enables more precise identification of items and minimizes checkout errors.
One of the key features of the new model is its continuous self-learning capability. This allows the system to adapt and improve automatically, even as store layouts and merchandise change. As a result, the AI no longer requires frequent retraining, which enhances its reliability and reduces maintenance efforts.
Jon Jenkins, Vice President at AWS for Just Walk Out technology, highlighted the benefits of the upgrade in a recent blog post. “For retailers, the new AI system makes Just Walk Out faster, easier to deploy, and more efficient,” Jenkins noted. “For shoppers, this means worry-free shopping at even more third-party checkout-free stores worldwide.”
Amazon’s decision to enhance Just Walk Out comes after it phased out the technology from its Amazon Fresh stores earlier this year, opting instead for self-service smart shopping carts. However, the system remains operational in Amazon’s Go and Fresh stores across the U.K. and has been deployed in over 170 third-party locations, including airports, hospitals, and sports venues like Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks.
The company plans to significantly expand the presence of Just Walk Out technology in 2024, aiming to more than double the number of third-party stores utilizing the system this year. “As we scale, the system will continue to learn from everyday shopping scenarios and raise the bar for accuracy and convenience,” Jenkins added.
The original Just Walk Out system, launched in 2018, required manual retraining and sometimes struggled with accurate item identification under challenging conditions, such as poor lighting or obstructed views. The upgraded multimodal model addresses these limitations, improving customer experiences by reducing delays and handling complex shopping scenarios more effectively.
For instance, the new model can accurately track items even when shoppers handle multiple products or when camera views are obstructed, such as by fogged freezer doors. This advancement ensures a smoother and more reliable checkout-free experience, setting a new standard for retail technology.
