China Construction Bank unveils Shanghai branch fully managed by robots

AI, facial, and voice recognition tech power the self-service branch in Huangpu district.

China Construction Bank has unveiled a self-service bank in Huangpu district, Shanghai which runs largely on facial recognition, artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual reality (VR) technologies, marking a landmark event in the country’s banking industry.

First time visitors have their ID card scanned upon entry although facial recognition tech will be employed for subsequent visits.

The bank also features a robot that can answer general inquiries via voice recognition. Automated tellers stationed at the bank can perform account opening, money transfer, foreign exchange, gold investment and issuance of wealth management products.

However, the bank is still staffed with humans to complement the services provided by artificial assistants.