Summary of the Core Content
The author personally experienced five types of “AI health and wellness” services in Shenzhen (AI hair washing, AI energy chambers, AI moxibustion, AI foot soaks, and AI massage) and found that most of them were merely ordinary services with an “AI” label. These services either involved simple mechanical operations (such as spraying water for hair washing or using heating for steaming) or combined traditional health practices with the term “AI” (for example, tongue coating scanning followed by herbal foot soaks). Businesses used these low-cost AI services to attract customers, but many of them couldn’t clearly explain the workings of the technology, and some even had machines that didn’t function properly or the shops themselves had to close and change their business models. In the end, the author reflected on the fact that behind the AI hype was the desperate struggle of physical stores to survive in a tough economic environment.
I. How Much “Real AI” Is There in These Services?
In most cases, the “AI” in these services is just a guise:
- AI Hair Washing: It’s just a machine that sprays water; there’s no actual scrubbing action. The water flows over the back of the head, and the noise it makes sounds like a blender. Even the shampoo is already mixed in the water, with no real connection to AI algorithms or intelligent recognition. The owner had this machine three years ago and just added the “AI” label later.
- AI Energy Chamber: It’s essentially a high-tech steam room where you strip down and lie down. The chamber has different temperature zones, and the top has colorful lights. The staff only mentions “infrared disinfection” without explaining where the “AI” technology is. It’s really just a tool to make you sweat.
- AI Moxibustion: The posters show cool robotic arms that identify acupoints, but in reality, it’s just a “barbecue grill” where moxa sticks are heated. You get a remote control to adjust the temperature, and the only “AI” feature is a message the machine displays when it’s done.
- AI Foot Soak: It’s either a combination of tongue coating scanning and herbal packs tailored to your body type (similar to mobile apps that do the same) or uses a graphene heating plate (like a heated blanket). Some places don’t even have a pulse diagnosis device.
- AI Massage: Finally, there’s a robotic arm, but the experience is more like a warm, gentle hand massaging your back. The intensity and temperature can be adjusted, and at the end, you get a thermal image. This is the closest thing to having an “AI” experience, but the actual therapeutic effects are uncertain.
In short, 90% of these services are just marketing gimmicks, with the core still being traditional health and wellness methods.
II. Why Do Businesses Use “AI Hype?”
Physical stores are struggling, and AI has become their lifeline:
1. Attracting Customers with Low Prices: Services like hair washing for 9.9 yuan, energy chambers for 30 yuan, and massages for 49.9 yuan use the appeal of “high-tech AI” to attract curious customers, which is more effective than simply offering discounted hair washing.
2. Reducing Labor Costs: AI machines can replace some human tasks (for example, they don’t require manual scrubbing). Although the machines themselves are expensive (hair washing machines cost tens of thousands of yuan), they are more cost-effective in the long run. For example, renting an AI moxibustion machine for a month costs 2,400 yuan, which is much cheaper than hiring a moxibustion therapist.
3. Competitive Advantages: With so many traditional health and wellness shops, adding an “AI” label helps a store stand out and make it easier to find on group buying platforms.
However, businesses are also aware of the limitations of these gimmicks: some admit that AI is just a way to attract customers, while others can’t clearly explain how it works. They’re not even sure if the machines will last the whole year.
III. Consumer Experiences: From “Science Fiction Expectations” to “Disappointment”
The author’s experience was like opening a blind box, full of disappointments:
- Embarrassing Situations: You have to strip down completely for the AI energy chamber, feeling like a goose being stuffed into an oven. By the end, you’re drenched in sweat, regretting coming in during the hottest days of summer.
- Disappointing Discoveries: The posters for the AI moxibustion service showed cool robotic arms, but it turned out to be just a barbecue grill. The AI massage used a gentle robotic arm, but its purpose was unclear.
- Frustrating Encounters: Some of the group-buying services were offered by shops that had already closed (they became private restaurants), and some machines didn’t work properly (the beauticians didn’t know how to use the AI skin analysis devices), resulting in wasted trips.
Consumers are aware that businesses are using gimmicks, but they are also willing to try them out for the novelty, especially for a low price of 9.9 yuan or so.
IV. The Real Story Behind the Hype: The Struggle of Physical Stores
The most poignant aspect of this article is not the AI gimmicks themselves but the difficulties faced by physical stores:
- Shop Closures: The AI massage shop the author liked has become a private restaurant, and the owner of the AI health and wellness center has given up. High-end shopping malls don’t even have people who know how to use the AI skin analysis devices. Many stores are struggling to survive.
- Cost Pressure: Hair washing machines are expensive, but they don’t generate much profit. Renting AI machines is more economical than buying them (especially since the services might not last long). Businesses use these low-cost AI services to attract customers as a way to make ends meet.
- Transformation Dilemmas: Traditional health and wellness shops face fierce competition, and without some “high-tech” gimmicks, they won’t attract customers. However, they can’t afford the real AI technology, so they have to rely on fake AI solutions.
In the end, the author says, “There are too many harsh things to say” because everyone is just trying to survive. The AI hype is just a way for physical stores to stay warm during this tough economic period.
Conclusion
The “AI health and wellness” services in Shenzhen are more a reflection of the “survival strategies” of physical stores than a true advancement in technology. They use the lowest-cost “AI” labels to attract customers and alleviate their financial pressures. Consumers are looking for something new, and businesses are trying to make a little money. Everyone gets what they need from these services. However, it’s unlikely that businesses can rely on fake AI solutions in the long run, as gimmicks will eventually lose their effectiveness. The real competitive advantage lies in the quality of the service itself.
(End of the translation.)