The First AI-Controlled Store “Prendi&Vai!” Opens in Italy

“Prendi&Vai!” is the name of the first fully automated store controlled by artificial intelligence, which has opened in Italy, as reported by Corriere della Sera. The store is part of the Conad supermarket chain and is the first autonomous store on the Italian peninsula. It allows customers to select, purchase products, and make payments without going through a cashier, placing everything directly into their bags. This groundbreaking project in Italy is the result of a collaboration between Dao (a cooperative associated with Conad in the provinces of Trento, Bolzano, Verona, Vicenza, and Belluno) and Retail Hub, which leveraged the technology developed by the Portuguese startup Sensei for the retail industry.

The store is equipped with “computer vision technology,” comprising cameras capable of monitoring the entire premises, tracking customers from the moment they enter until they leave, and accurately identifying the chosen products thanks to artificial intelligence.

To provide a second verification, there are sensors on every shelf that detect changes in weight each time a customer takes a product and adds it to their shopping basket.

The Verona store currently employs seven people who, instead of scanning barcodes at the cash register, assist customers with their product choices and shopping dynamics. This format has already been successfully tested in Lisbon and Brazil.

The store is open from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM, covers approximately 300 square meters, and is designed as a neighborhood store, catering to everyday shoppers.