Dystopian: Largest Grocery Store Chain In Japan Uses AI To Monitor Staff Smiles, Speech Tones And Issues ‘Game’ Scores To Improve Quality Service

According to a report by South China Morning Post (SCMP), the company debuted what they call “Mr. Smile,” developed by local tech firm InstaVR. Mr. Smile can ‘accurately rate a shop assistant’s service attitude,’ the paper says. It can analyze 450 different elements including facial expressions, voice volume and tone of greetings. It also has “game” elements that incentivize staff to increase their scores by beating-out their previous scores.

The AEON says they trialed the system in eight different stores with roughly 3,400 employees, and said that service attitudes increased by up to 1.6 times over a period of three months.

AEON said its goal was to “standardize staff members’ smiles and satisfy customers to the maximum.” The company did not clarify if this feedback was from the employees or the results calculated by the artificial intelligence.

SEE: Chinese Offices Have Been Outfitted With AI Canon Cameras That Only Allow Smiling Workers To Enter

CX Today reported that the move ‘raises serious questions about the morality of pressuring workers to express themselves in a particular way.’

“By pressuring agents to act in a particular manner that is deemed agreeable by the company, they are losing their individuality and freedom to express themselves as they see fit,” the tech outlet said.

SEE: Japanese Now Enrolling Into Smiling Courses To Relearn How To Smile Since Masks Are No Longer Required

This new AI rollout has ignited a discussion as to whether or not this is actually increasing workplace harassment – something that has been a big problem in Japan for many years. In Japan, it’s known as “kasu-hara,” which is a form of habitual complaints and using derogatory language.

‘This year, nearly half of the 30,000 staff surveyed, who work in the service industry and other sectors, reported experiencing customer harassment to Japan’s biggest union, UA Zensen,’ the SCMP reported.

“When the service industry workers are forced to smile according to a ‘standard’, it looks to me like another form of customer harassment,” said one.

“Smiles should be a beautiful, heartfelt thing, and not be treated like a product,” another said.

A third employee added, “People are different, and they also express their affections differently. Using a machine to ‘standardize’ people’s attitude sounds cold and silly.”

In 2022, The WinePress reported New Zealand implemented “Smile Security” in the city of Hastings, which will be monitoring and surveilling Kiwis’ speech and actions, and such negative ones could trigger the police to assess the situation and visit the tagged offender. SEE: New Zealand Unveils “Smile Security” To Create A ‘Better Place For All,’ As Mayor Scolds Bystander Calling On Forces For His ‘Bad Behavior’

Mastercard has also released “Smile To Pay,” a new biometric form of making payments.

---

AUTHOR COMMENTARY

Ecclesiastes 7:7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

This reminded me of the scene from an episode of Spongebob, when Mr. Krabs sold the Krusty Krab out for big business and the new manager made everyone smile 100% of the time, or if they didn’t human resources will beat them up. The only difference is now it’s done with AI watching you from every nook and cranny.

This is just insane. We truly live in a dystopian world. Remember: “You’ll own nothing and be happy;” so smile for the camera, pleb, and go eat your cereal and crickets for dinner!

If AEON is doing that in Japan, you best believe that it will become more commonplace around the world in the years to follow, not just in business but in society and the implementation of social credit scores, connected to digital IDs, CBDCs and the new tokenized economy.

SEE: The DQ Institute: The Social Credit Score To Become A Global Citizen To Use The Internet

---

[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).

The WinePress needs your support! If God has laid it on your heart to want to contribute, please prayerfully consider donating to this ministry. If you cannot gift a monetary donation, then please donate your fervent prayers to keep this ministry going! Thank you and may God bless you.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE