Caper AI

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Caper is a New York-based company that creates AI-powered automated checkout systems for retailers, including grocery stores, convenience stores, and other formats. Founded in 2016 by Lindon Gao, York Yang, Yilin Huang, and Ahmed Beshry, it is headquartered in Manhattan and serves the US and Canada.

In 2019, Caper raised a $10 million Series A. That year Sobeys announced it would deploy Caper’s Smart Cart technology, starting at the Glen Abbey Sobeys in Oakville, Ontario. The technology began rolling out in US stores as well.

In October 2021, Instacart acquired Caper for $350 million. Since the acquisition, Caper’s AI checkout technology has expanded across the US and Canada, used by various grocery chains. In 2020, Caper launched Caper Counter, a cashierless countertop for small stores.

Caper also partnered with Kroger in 2020 for the KroGo AI-powered shopping carts pilot in Cincinnati. In 2023, Schnucks, ShopRite, and Fairway Market deployed Caper carts. In fall 2024, Instacart expanded Caper Carts internationally with ALDI in Austria and Coles in Australia.

Technology-wise, Caper uses cameras, lights, computer vision, machine learning, and sensor fusion. The system is pre-trained to recognize products, can distinguish similar items, and uses textual information and size to help identify them.