My Take: Four Ways AI Will Make Retail Better
Or, should I say, four ways AI is already making retail better.
Though many retailers are just now starting to look at AI’s potential applications in brick-and-mortar operations, especially in the back office, I’ve been looking at these possibilities for years. So, it was no surprise when “the rise of generative AI” prompted people to ask me how I think AI will impact our everyday lives, especially as it pertains to retail.
“Will it help retailers keep shelves better stocked? And will it help me find product and pricing information faster when shopping?” they wanted to know.
Of course, retailers have simultaneously been wondering if and how they could be using AI to improve stock levels, sales volume, and customer satisfaction.
So, in one of my Forbes’ Technology Council posts, I thought I would sum up the four areas where I think AI in general (not just generative AI) is having the most immediate and noticeable impact. I’d love to hear if you agree:
How Four Retail Basics Are Better with Artificial Intelligence
If you’re looking for some other experts’ insights on the role AI could play in retail operations and shopper experiences, you should also hear what my colleagues Mark Thomson and Stuart Hubbard recently discussed:
Is Generative AI Really Going to Change the Retail Experience as Some Experts Claim?
Suresh Menon
Suresh Menon is Senior Vice President and General Manager for Software Solutions at Zebra Technologies. He is responsible for the strategy, development, and management of Zebra’s Software Solutions product line, which features an industry leading portfolio of AI-powered workforce management, task execution and communication solutions, prescriptive analytics and self-directed physical inventory management solutions.
He has held a range of software leadership roles, most recently serving as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Informatica’s Master Data Management and 360 Solutions business unit where he led the transformation of an on-premise, perpetual licensed business to a high growth, cloud native and subscription business. Under his management, Informatica’s Master Data Management and 360 Solutions were recognized by Gartner in 2020 in the Leaders section of their Magic Quadrant as the leading solutions in this category.
Earlier in his career, Suresh served in software product management leadership positions at Identity Systems, a division of Nokia Enterprise Solutions and at Search Software America.
