Dubai’s Woohoo Puts AI at the Center of the Restaurant Dining Experience |

Dubai's restaurant scene has long been known for immersive concepts, but Yaya new venue in downtown Dubai, is trying something more technically sophisticated: putting an AI agent at the center of its audiovisual and lighting systems and centering the dining experience around an AI personality named Chef Aiman.

The concept was developed in collaboration with system integration and content specialists Vibrant studiocombines a traditional restaurant operation with a layer of technology that controls lighting, large-scale LED visuals and spatial audio. The menu is created under the creative direction of Chef Aiman, described as an AI-driven cooking ghost, but dishes are prepared and served by human chefs and staff. Artificial intelligence functions primarily as a creative and systemic orchestration tool and not as a replacement for the kitchen brigade.

At the heart of the venue's technical infrastructure is SP Grid, a data management and control platform developed by Stage Precision. Vivid Studio had previously used SP Grid in its own virtual production studio and selected it as the backbone for Woohoo's automation layer. According to Yuri Stranyov, senior engineer at Vivid Studio, the system acts as a central “brain” that connects media servers, lighting, audio and video components.

The installation includes eight media servers, LED screens distributed throughout the dining room, a ChamSys lighting system and a 46-speaker audio setup with TiMax room processing. These elements are coordinated by SP Grid, which is integrated with an AI agent responsible for selecting and sequencing various thematic “parallel universes” of content throughout the day. The AI ​​can also generate new audiovisual material overnight, which is then reviewed by the team before being added to the approved content library.

From a technical perspective, the project highlights a growing trend in the hospitality industry: the use of programmable control platforms that allow venues to switch between automated modes and human intervention. Woohoo staff operates the system through a custom interface built into SP Grid's UI tools. Employees can use a touchscreen to start the system or override automated processes during special events such as DJ evenings.

The restaurant's approach lies at the intersection of two broader trends in hotel technology. The first is the steady rise of immersive dining environments based on projection mapping, LED walls and synchronized audio. Concepts like Paul Pairet's Ultraviolet in Shanghai and other experiential restaurants have demonstrated the commercial appeal of tightly choreographed sensory environments. More recently, high-profile projects like Sphere in Las Vegas have reinforced the idea that programmable visual and audio systems can create repeatable but adaptable experiences.

The second trend is the integration of artificial intelligence into restaurant operations. While most AI deployments in restaurants today focus on back-of-house forecasting, price optimization, drive-thru voice ordering or marketing automation, a smaller but growing segment is experimenting with AI-driven content creation and guest engagement. Some brands have introduced AI-generated menu concepts or marketing campaigns, while others are testing AI chat interfaces for customer interaction. Woohoo extends this experiment to the physical environment, using AI not only as a creative collaborator, but also as a layer of automation that influences the atmosphere of the space.

However, unlike AI systems designed to reduce labor costs or automate transactions, Woohoo's AI agent primarily curates and controls experience elements. The staff remains responsible for the preparation and service of the food. In this sense, the project reflects a hybrid model in which AI complements human roles rather than replacing them.

From a system integration perspective, using SP Grid as a low-code or no-code orchestration platform is notable. Restaurants seeking immersive environments often rely on custom-programmed solutions that can be difficult to scale or maintain. Platforms that abstract device connections and workflows into configurable modules can lower the barrier for future experience venues, especially those that want to iterate content without rewriting core infrastructure.

SP Grid's licensing structure, which allows customers to scale usage based on the number of connections and devices used, also reflects a broader shift in audiovisual and control software toward usage-based pricing. For hotel operators, particularly those experimenting with complex technology for the first time, flexible licensing can reduce upfront risk.

Woohoo's concept is still early in its lifecycle and its long-term commercial performance remains to be seen. Immersive restaurants can initially generate a lot of interest, but face the operational challenge of keeping content fresh and ensuring that the technology enhances the dining experience rather than distracting from it. The process of generating AI content overnight combined with human review suggests an attempt to balance novelty and quality control.

In terms of competition, Woohoo occupies a niche between experiential restaurants and technology-focused restaurants. It's not the only company pursuing immersive environments, nor is it the only operator exploring AI-driven creativity. What sets it apart is the deep integration between the AI ​​agent and the venue's AVLM infrastructure, with a programmable control layer that connects lighting, video and spatial audio in a single automated system.

As restaurants continue to look for ways to differentiate themselves beyond just cuisine, the convergence of immersive design and AI-driven orchestration could become increasingly common. Whether this model scales beyond flagship concepts in tech-driven cities like Dubai will depend on cost, reliability and measurable impact on guest retention and repeat visits. For now, Woohoo serves as a case study in how AI and programmable control platforms are beginning to impact not only restaurant operations, but also the atmosphere in which meals are experienced.