Square is bringing conversational AI to the physical checkout line. The payments company has launched Square Kiosk, a large touchscreen ordering terminal that lets customers speak with an AI agent while building an order, according to a report published by The Verge on October 14.

The system is designed to listen and respond in real time using knowledge of a participating seller’s menu. The Verge reports that a customer can ask questions, request modifications, and seek substitutions through the voice layer instead of navigating every choice manually on the screen.

Abstract speech bubbles becoming meal choices and customization tokens beside a kiosk.
The voice layer is intended to handle menu questions, modifications, and substitutions in real time.

That makes the kiosk more than a conventional touch-based menu. Its defining feature is an attempt to reproduce the flexible back-and-forth of ordering from a staff member: a diner can state what they want in ordinary language and refine it during the same interaction. How well the system handles accents, noisy dining rooms, ambiguous requests, or unusual menu rules was not detailed in the report.

The hardware centers on a 21.5-inch touchscreen in a pill-shaped enclosure. Presence detection allows the unit to recognize when a customer approaches and offer a greeting, The Verge says. After an order is completed, payment can be made through either the built-in contactless reader or a card slot.

Illustrated kiosk with presence sensing, touchscreen, contactless payment, and card slot.
The 21.5-inch terminal can greet approaching customers and accept contactless or card payments.

Square is positioning the voice assistant inside a complete ordering and payment station rather than as a separate chatbot. That placement gives the AI a concrete job: translate a conversation about a menu into an order that can be paid for on the same device. The report does not say whether businesses can disable the voice feature or how much control they have over the agent’s responses.

The Kiosk is available immediately for businesses on Square Plus or Premium plans. The hardware costs $1,999, and Square is also charging a $99 monthly software fee for each device, according to The Verge. Those terms make the product a recurring software expense as well as a hardware purchase.

The launch offers a clear example of AI moving from apps and office tools into a routine public transaction. For restaurants and other counter-service sellers, the practical test will be whether spoken ordering makes customization easier without introducing new friction. Square has supplied the device and the commercial terms; the report leaves real-world accuracy, customer preference, and operational impact to be demonstrated.