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Tech company Wiliot has launched WiliBot, a generative AI (GenAI) chatbot designed to facilitate natural-language interactions with IoT-connected products across supply chains.

This new tool aims to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds, allowing businesses and, eventually, consumers to engage directly with products through AI-driven conversations.

WiliBot integrates ambient IoT data with advanced generative AI to offer real-time insights into products, materials and supply chains.

CEO Tal Tamir said: “Ambient IoT generates extensive data on everyday items, and GenAI can interpret and make sense of this data. This integration not only extends the scope of AI learning but also leverages vast new datasets to enhance supply chain management and product transparency.”

The Wiliot Ambient Data Platform uses self-powered, stamp-sized IoT Pixels that are affixed to various products and packaging. These pixels collect and transmit information such as location, temperature and carbon footprint via Bluetooth to the Wiliot cloud.

The platform’s AI and machine-learning algorithms then analyze this data to identify critical supply chain events and generate actionable insights, such as alerts for temperature deviations in sensitive food and beverage shipments.

WiliBot will enter a pilot phase with select enterprise customers before a broader rollout anticipated in late 2024 through 2025.

During this phase, businesses will use WiliBot to query their ambient IoT-enabled products and supply chains, addressing questions related to product freshness, supply chain logistics and carbon footprint.

In recent implementations with major food retailers, Wiliot’s platform identified that food shrink – loss or spoilage of goods before reaching shelves – accounts for approximately 5% of the food supply chain.

The platform's capabilities have mitigated two-thirds of these issues, contributing to safer food supply chains and reduced operational costs. WiliBot is expected to democratise these insights, providing greater transparency and control across organisations.

Looking ahead, Wiliot plans to extend WiliBot’s capabilities to consumer applications. Through a network of mobile apps, consumers will soon be able to interact with their products to gain insights into aspects such as environmental impact, material composition, and sourcing practices.

“The launch of WiliBot represents a significant advancement in how businesses and, eventually, consumers interact with and understand their products,” Tamir added. “Our goal is to transform supply chain visibility and product transparency, answering the question, ‘What if your products could talk?’ with a resounding yes, through natural language.”

Wiliot will showcase WiliBot and its Ambient Data Platform at MWC Las Vegas 2024, scheduled for October 8-10.