A humanoid robot named Adam is turning heads in Las Vegas, and not just for its latte art. Developed by Richtech Robotics, the AI-powered barista is the star of the company’s new café, Clouffee & Tea, which opened at the Town Square shopping centre earlier this year.
From Boba to Barista
Richtech Robotics, founded in 2017 by brothers Wayne and Michael Huang, began by designing robots for service and hospitality industries. After experimenting with a boba tea concept called Cloutea inside Caesars Palace, the company refined its approach and launched Clouffee & Tea, a sleeker café that blends coffee culture with cutting-edge technology.
Adam, Richtech’s flagship robot, first appeared in 2022 and quickly became the company’s public face. The robot can prepare coffee, boba tea and even cocktails. At Clouffee & Tea, Adam handles the drinks while human colleagues manage food and keep ingredients stocked.
Powered by Artificial Intelligence
Behind Adam’s smooth conversation and precise movements lies NVIDIA’s edge AI computing module, which allows the robot to detect customers, respond to voice prompts, and control the espresso-making process in real time. The robot uses AI-enabled vision to monitor variables like water pressure and extraction timing, ensuring consistency with every cup.
The latest version of Adam is compatible with standard café equipment, including grinders, tampers and manual espresso machines. This flexibility means cafés don’t have to replace their existing hardware, a key reason why the system has caught the attention of operators at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.
A New Model for Robotics in Hospitality
Richtech has already leased more than 300 robots across the US, working in restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities and senior living homes. Rather than selling its machines outright, the company has moved to a “robot-as-a-service” model, allowing businesses to lease units for specific venues or events.
Adam has been deployed in Walmart Ghost Kitchens, Global Life Field (home of the Texas Rangers baseball team), and coffee spots in California and New York. At the Texas venue, a single Adam reportedly generated more than 32,000 dollars in revenue within its first month of operation.
According to Richtech president Matt Casella, robots like Adam work best alongside human employees. “They’re great at repetitive, high-volume tasks,” he said. “The key is letting robots handle what they’re good at, while people focus on the human touch.”
A Growing Appetite for Automation
Richtech aims to expand Clouffee & Tea to dozens of locations over the next few years. The company believes Adam’s success demonstrates how robotics can enhance, rather than replace, the customer experience.
“Automation and AI are transforming how we experience food and drink,” Casella said. “Adam isn’t just making coffee, it’s showing people what’s possible when technology becomes part of everyday hospitality.”
From pouring cappuccinos in Las Vegas to mixing cocktails in Texas, Adam’s rise suggests the age of the robot barista may no longer be science fiction. It’s already here, one espresso at a time.
