China's Dumpling Shop Uses AI to Revolutionize Customer Experience

A Beijing dumpling shop has emerged as a symbol of China's rapid embrace of artificial intelligence, allowing customers to interact with its services through AI agents.

Jinguyuan, a small eatery near Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, introduced an AI "skill" in April enabling users to browse menus, receive recommendations, and join a virtual queue through AI assistants. These skills are specialized files that teach AI tools to perform specific tasks on devices like phones or laptops.

The shop's owner, 41-year-old Li Bo, said he developed the AI feature after observing the growing adoption of agentic AI tools—systems designed to autonomously execute tasks. Li, who studied telecommunications engineering before pursuing food service, saw AI as the next logical step in retail innovation.

"Science and technology are a primary productive force," Li said, quoting late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's 1978 reforms that drove China's economic growth. "You always need to surround yourself with the most advanced productive force."

China's relationship with AI contrasts sharply with attitudes in Western nations, where concerns about job displacement, data privacy, and ethical risks often overshadow enthusiasm. While many small businesses in the U.S. avoid advertising AI use, China has positioned itself as a frontrunner in AI integration, with widespread public interest in learning and adopting the technology.

Online courses on large language models are widely available, office workers experiment with AI tools to stay competitive, and viral AI applications like OpenClaw have seen high demand. A 2025 Ipsos survey of 30 countries found China's population expressed the highest level of excitement about AI among all surveyed nations.

Li, who previously worked in hostels and sold homemade desserts before opening Jinguyuan, said AI reignited his passion for technology. Beyond the AI dining skill, he built a website using Alibaba's Qoder tool to display real-time queue status at his two locations. In July, he partnered with an AI cloud provider to distribute 10 yuan ($1.50) coupons redeemable for AI model subscriptions to customers.

While Li acknowledges his AI feature garners more media attention than actual usage, he views his shop as a pioneer in AI adoption. "Someone needs to start using it, even when it's not that good," he said, drawing an analogy to early steam engines. "When steam engines first appeared, people joked they were no better than horses. In the end, cars won out."