- The Seattle-based company’s Just Walk Out system will use AI with input from different sources and considers them simultaneously. 

- The system’s use of RFID is more geared to bigger crowds, such as those in stadiums and arenas. 

Amazon is revamping its frictionless checkout system, Just Walk Out, by using artificial intelligence (AI) and RFID.

“Earlier versions of Just Walk Out relied on several different AI models sharing information with one another—did someone’s hand reach for a product? did the image of the product in their hand match what the AI model believed should be there? how many items did the shopper pick up? The new model smashes all of that into one system to provide make decisions faster and more accurately”, said Jon Jenkins, vice president of Amazon’s Just Walk Out team.

The new AI model relies heavily on edge computing rather than sending it all to the cloud. Amazon said it installs edge computing devices in the stores, tucking them away in a closet or backroom to keep the model humming as efficiently as possible.

RFID Uses

Last year, Amazon quietly launched another type of checkout-less system that relies on RFID tags. In stores with Just Walk Out technology, shoppers swipe a credit card or log into their Amazon account when they enter. But with the RFID system, customers only enter their payment information when they are leaving. They then walk out with the item, no scanning necessary. The tech connects the information from the tag to the shopper.

But the RFID tag system doesn’t work for all items—it wouldn’t make sense to attach a tag with a QR code and a chip inside to an apple; it is useful for apparel and items that don’t have a defined shape and would be difficult to identify by camera.

Amazon tested the RFID system in Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle in April 2023 and officially launched the system at Lumen Field later that year. It’s now in five stadiums around the country.

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