KDDI and AVITA plan Japanese humanoids for customer service

Date: 2026-03-02
Type: ARTICLE
Desk: Robotics
Topics: Human Robot Interaction, Pneumatic Actuators, Service Robots, Teleoperation
Deck: Pneumatic actuation, expressive faces and low-latency remote operation feature in a service-robot programme targeting commercial trials from autumn 2026.
URL: https://korthosrobotics.com/research/kddi-avita-service-humanoid-physical-ai-2026

Image: KDDI
KDDI and AVITA announced a humanoid customer-service partnership on 2 March 2026, targeting trials in commercial facilities from autumn 2026. AVITA will develop Japan-made humanoids, while KDDI will provide communications and computing infrastructure for remote control and AI processing. Potential later applications include au Style and au Shops.
The concept presented at MWC Barcelona uses pneumatic actuation, silicone skin, an expressive face and cameras in its eyes. It builds on a humanoid designed by AVITA CEO Hiroshi Ishiguro for Expo 2025’s Future of Life pavilion, adding conversation-dependent gestures and facial responses. A cloud platform will collect visual and movement data to train autonomous behaviour, with low-latency communications supporting operator commands and interaction.
The companies had already connected AVITA’s AVACOM avatars to KDDI’s remote-service platform in June 2025. At Lawson’s Takanawa Gateway City store, an AI avatar directs visitors to services before specialist staff provide remote assistance; avatar staff also support self-checkout. The platform was intended for selected Lawson and au retail locations, combining automated guidance with human operators. The humanoid programme adds physical gestures and facial expression to that established service workflow.
KDDI will also consider using GPUs and on-premises Gemini services at its Osaka Sakai Data Center, which opened in January 2026, for the robot programme. The proposed infrastructure links customer interactions, captured movement data and model training ahead of commercial trials.