Select a page

Banking News

Humanoid robots a hit with Mizuho customers

Humanoid robots a hit with Mizuho customers

(22 July 2015 – Japan) Mizuho Financial Group is finding its Pepper robot is on point with customers.

Mizuho has just introduced SoftBank Group Corp’s Pepper robot to its flagship branch in central Tokyo.

The 121 centimetre humanoid entertains customers with games and multimedia and provides basic information on products.

Mizuho plans to add its robot employee to five other Tokyo branches by the end of the year.

“Pepper will get people excited about going to the bank,” Tetsuhiko Saito, head of personal banking at Mizuho’s main lending unit, told reporters.

Mizuho follows larger peer Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., which in February unveiled NAO robots, also developed by a SoftBank unit, for use at its branches. 

Robotics features in Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to revive the economy and combat the nation’s aging and shrinking population.

Pepper went on sale to Japanese consumers on 20 June, and all 1000 units sold out within a minute.

East & Partners's avatar

Comment on this article

 

Your comments will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

Please enter the word you see in the image below:


Subscribe

Subscribe to our mailing list

Sign up now to keep up-to-date with the latest
market news and insights in B2B banking.

* indicates required

For more information please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statements.