The next great retail tech buzzword is actually an abbreviation for artificial intelligence.
Every few years, a new technology solution or concept takes hold in the retail industry and all IT-related industry developments seem to feature it in one way or another. Over the past 25 years, tech buzzwords such as e-commerce, RFID, m-commerce, omni-channel, and headless commerce have all been making headlines in the retail industry.
Again, the concept of retail technology is rising to become the solution of excellence in all areas of the enterprise. That concept is artificial intelligence, or AI. This includes a subset of machine learning (ML), or computers that can be trained to learn abstract concepts in a manner similar to humans.
I recently wrote a column focusing on the rapidly growing impact of CHatGPT, a new AI model from R&D firm Open AI, is now on sale. ChatGPT interacts with users in a conversational style that mimics human interaction, using ML capabilities to continuously refine and improve responses.
[Read More: ChatGPT is coming – what it means for your enterprise]
While ChatGPT has received a lot of attention as a potential game-changer to radically streamline retail workflows in areas such as customer service and human resources, it is not the only AI technology that will change the industry. Here are his three recent examples of how AI technology unrelated to ChatGPT is having a story-worthy impact in the retail industry.
Be Smart – About Salads
Midwest grocer Schnuck Markets offers a “smart salad bar” experience at select locations. This retailer deploys a Picadeli AI-based salad bar solution. This allows full traceability of his chain of supply through proprietary software and hardware.
Additionally, by scanning QR codes, Schnucks can receive signals that products need to be restocked or reordered, ensuring products don’t stay on the shelf longer than allowed. The AI-based salad bar is customized for each Schnucks store and uses ML to determine the most sought-after ingredients for each individual store.
ice, ice, baby
Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie, has partnered with Relocalize to pilot ice production in what retailers say is the world’s first autonomous microfactory. I’m going to As a result, retailers plan to eliminate middle-mile logistics for ice.
The new ice plant is located at a grocery distribution center in Jacksonville, Florida. It is centrally managed by an AI-powered software platform and uses robotics for 100% of production work. Automated manufacturing processes enable grocers to scale production throughout the lifecycle of their branded ice products, reduce waste, and reduce the economic and environmental impact of ice production and distribution.
look
Later this year, denim giants Levi Strauss & Company We plan to test customized models generated by AI created with technology from digital fashion studio Lalaland.ai. Levi’s says it plans to use AI-generated models to complement the brand’s human models.
According to Levi’s, the technology will allow shoppers to see models “like themselves”, increasing the number and variety of models in a sustainable way. Based in the Netherlands, Lalaland.ai uses AI to create realistic virtual models of all body types, ages, sizes and skin tones. Now Levi’s on his e-commerce site and mobile app usually has his one model for each product.
