Tangled in debates, AI makes an entry to salons

As artificial intelligence seeps into the service sector, residents of major Chinese cities are now turning to a novel option: unmanned hair washing. The "AI" technology that offers convenience, particularly for introverted customers, has sparked debate among industry professionals who have expressed concerns about safety and marketing of the machines, which operate with basic automation, as AI.

Debuting in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, the "AI-powered hair washing machines" have since appeared in areas such as Fujian province, Shanghai and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Customers lie on a massage bed and place their heads in the machine, which uses infrared sensors to guide water jets through a roughly 20-minute process. The automated procedure includes several rinses, rounds of shampoo and an application of conditioner.