A resident enters a municipal office in Tokyo seeking assistance but cannot communicate with staff due to a language barrier. In the past, such encounters often resulted in the individual being redirected between departments, forced to repeat information, or leaving without a resolution.
A new deployment by Avaya and avatarin is attempting to change that outcome by introducing a hybrid model that blends artificial intelligence, remote human expertise and physical robotics.
In this setup, the resident approaches a human-sized robot equipped with a screen displaying the live face of a remote municipal worker. Through real-time interaction, the remote agent is able to guide and assist the resident as if physically present. The initiative forms part of a broader push to redefine customer experience (CX) in situations where expertise is not available on-site.
Tokyo-based robotics and AI company avatarin is leveraging Avaya Infinity, a customer experience platform, to coordinate interactions across AI systems, remote personnel and physical robots. The solution is being deployed in environments such as government offices, airports and retail locations, where service demands often exceed available human resources.
The effort reflects a wider shift by Avaya to extend contact center capabilities beyond traditional voice and digital channels into physical service environments. Organizations are increasingly under pressure to deliver seamless support across fragmented touchpoints while addressing staffing shortages and multilingual needs.
At the core of the initiative is what avatarin CEO Akira Fukabori describes as “unmet presence,” referring to scenarios in which expertise is required in a specific location but is not physically available. Despite heavy investment in omnichannel systems, many enterprises still struggle to provide continuity in face-to-face interactions, where gaps in staffing or language capabilities can disrupt service.
The joint solution combines AI agents, remote specialists and conversational robots to create a unified service experience. Customer context is shared in real time across systems, allowing interactions to continue smoothly as users move between AI-driven assistance and human support. This reduces the need for repeated explanations and minimizes friction during handoffs.
Unlike traditional kiosks or standalone video tools, the system is designed to maintain continuity across both digital and physical environments. It uses interoperability standards to integrate customer data into enterprise workflows, supporting what Avaya describes as a “tandem care” model, in which AI and human agents collaborate rather than operate independently.
Within this framework, AI handles routine tasks such as translation, data collection and basic inquiries, while more complex or sensitive issues are escalated to human specialists. Avaya executives say the platform is built to unify communications, data and AI capabilities across hybrid environments while maintaining governance and deployment flexibility.
Fukabori emphasized that while AI offers scalability and efficiency, it still lacks the human judgment required for nuanced or empathetic interactions. The hybrid model, he said, ensures that technology augments rather than replaces human expertise.
Pilot programs in Tokyo municipal offices feature avatarin’s “newme” social robot, designed to facilitate natural and conversational interactions. With its face-forward display and ability to move, the robot aims to create a more intuitive user experience. According to Fukabori, users quickly adapt to the system, treating it as a normal form of communication once the interaction begins.