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An artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robot named MEGA is helping municipal officers in Türkiye's central Kayseri province inspect shops, check price labels and monitor retail conditions.
Deployed by Melikgazi Municipality, MEGA accompanies inspection teams at Carsi Melikgazi, where it interacts with shopkeepers, identifies potential violations and reports its findings to relevant municipal departments.
The robot can scan shelf labels and compare them with checkout prices while also providing information on product expiry dates and hygiene standards.
Unlike conventional inspections, MEGA can communicate directly with businesses, verbally thanking those that comply with regulations and alerting others when it identifies deficiencies.
After acquiring the robot, Melikgazi Municipality installed additional computers and software to expand its capabilities.
Mayor Mustafa Palancioglu said the municipality was working to keep up with technological developments, adding that robots could eventually take on responsibilities in security, disaster response, cleaning and public information services.
Beyond its inspection duties, MEGA has also become a familiar attraction for shoppers and local businesses.
Greengrocer Ahmet Murt said that the robot alerts shopkeepers to missing price labels and products that have not been properly arranged.
He added that customers frequently interact with MEGA, bringing additional attention to the market.
"Customers really like the robot. They enjoy it and find it interesting. They chat with it because it is something different and unusual. For example, when they offer it something to eat or drink, Mega tells them that it only uses oil and cannot eat or drink. That makes us laugh," Murt said.
Another greengrocer, Mahmut Ozgoncu, said children often spend time interacting with the robot while their parents shop, increasing activity around nearby businesses.
The municipality first introduced MEGA to residents earlier in October as part of its smart municipality initiatives, which aim to incorporate digital technologies into local government services.
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