Macau – October 10, 2026 -- Amap, Alibaba Group's location-based services platform, delivered the first batch of Tutu robot dogs to Sands China, which will deploy them as guides at Sands Resorts Macau after a trial at NBA House at The Venetian.
Tutu logs 40 kilometers and 4,546 answers in one 11-hour shift
During the 11-hour workday at NBA House, Tutu robots completed 214 requests for directions to facilities such as restrooms and service counters. They answered 4,546 questions in Chinese and English, retaining task context when visitors switched languages or asked follow-up questions. The robots traveled more than 40 kilometers, which Amap equates to 456 laps around a basketball court.
At the delivery ceremony, Tutu walked autonomously to the stage, navigating around obstacles without a remote control or leash.
Amap to add indoor navigation and 3D previews across Sands resorts
Beyond the robots, Amap will provide resort-wide indoor navigation built on spatial information about floors, walkways, shops and public facilities. Using its spatial intelligence technology, Amap will also build 3D models of selected resort areas. Visitors will be able to preview them from different viewing angles in the Amap app before arrival.
Resort deployment brings longer shifts and multi-robot coordination
Amap says the resort environment poses different challenges from NBA House: longer service periods, requests spread across more locations and closer coordination with existing staff workflows. These will require reliable equipment, effective task scheduling and coordination among multiple robots.
Amap Chief Financial Officer Zhou Haijing said the partnership's value depends on Tutu delivering reliable service during peak periods and becoming an integral part of the resorts' service operations.
Amap and Sands China will explore how Tutu can serve different settings across the resorts, matching its spatial intelligence capabilities to Sands China's operational needs. Dr. DeVonne Iao, Sands China's Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Resort Marketing, presented Tutu with a staff badge as Robotic Guide No. 001. The companies describe the project as practical experience in deploying embodied AI in tourism and hospitality.