High up Shenzhen’s Ping An Finance Center—the world’s fifth-tallest skyscraper—is a modest one-bedroom demo apartment. It’s well-furnished, smartly designed, and wouldn’t be out of place in one of China’s top cities.
But the floor space and furnishings aren’t what’s most interesting about the flat. There are sensors in the ceiling, meant to automatically detect when an occupant has fallen. A display in the mirror shows vital signs recorded overnight. A touch screen provides a direct connection to a concierge, portrayed by an AI-generated avatar of a young woman.
