News/Retail
AI shopping agents and the biggest trends shaping ecommerce in 2025
The rapid evolution of e-commerce continues to reshape retail, with artificial intelligence, marketplace dynamics, and changing consumer behaviors driving significant transformations expected through 2025. Value-driven consumer behavior: Economic pressures are reshaping purchasing patterns, with a notable shift towards value-priced goods and everyday essentials. Consumers are increasingly favoring high-value options and store brands over premium-branded products This trend is pushing Amazon to adjust its product mix towards first-party essentials Walmart and other discount retailers are gaining competitive advantage through their efficiency-focused business models Technology infrastructure shifts: A significant transformation is occurring in how e-commerce businesses manage their technology stack. Major companies...
read Nov 18, 2024AI search engine Perplexity will now purchase products for you
AI-powered search engine Perplexity is expanding its capabilities by introducing new e-commerce features that integrate product purchasing directly into search results, marking a significant step in the evolution of AI-assisted shopping experiences. Core feature announcement: Perplexity's new "Buy with Pro" button enables Pro subscribers in the United States to purchase products directly within the search interface. Users can complete purchases without leaving the search engine using saved shipping and billing information All purchases made through Buy with Pro include free shipping Products not supporting Buy with Pro redirect users to merchant websites for purchase completion Subscription model and accessibility: The...
read Nov 18, 2024Perplexity Pro now includes an AI shopping assistant and free shipping on e-com purchases
The rise of AI search engines has created new possibilities for online search experiences, with Perplexity now expanding into e-commerce with an AI-powered shopping assistant that combines product research and purchasing capabilities. New commerce initiative: Perplexity is launching an AI-powered shopping experience that integrates conversational product research with streamlined purchasing capabilities. Users can research products through natural language conversations and image-based searches The platform provides comparison data and objective reviews through AI-generated product cards A Snap to Shop feature, similar to Google Lens, enables visual product matching through photo uploads Key features and functionality: The new shopping assistant differentiates itself...
read Nov 13, 2024This AI shopping assistant combines voice and vision for better recommendations
The intersection of artificial intelligence and augmented reality is creating new possibilities for intuitive shopping experiences, as demonstrated by an innovative product recommendation system showcased at the IEEE Global Tech Forum. Project overview: A new AI-powered furniture shopping assistant, developed by Richa Gupta and Alexander Htet Kyaw, combines visual recognition and voice interaction to help users make better purchasing decisions. The system was presented at an MIT AI conference and earned recognition during AI build week The technology addresses common challenges in furniture shopping, including decision fatigue and difficulty in articulating specific needs The solution integrates augmented reality with contextual...
read Nov 11, 2024The future of AI-driven retail
The retail industry is experiencing a significant transformation through artificial intelligence, with both online and brick-and-mortar stores leveraging AI to enhance operations, customer experience, and business efficiency. The AI advantage in retail: AI technologies are enabling retailers to process vast amounts of customer data, from purchase histories to feedback, transforming how stores operate and serve customers. Retailers are implementing AI-driven "hyperpersonalization" to provide customized shopping experiences for individual customers Computer vision technology is being deployed to prevent theft and optimize store layouts Supply chain and logistics operations are becoming more efficient through AI-powered analytics and automation Digital shopping evolution: Online...
read Nov 9, 2024CapCut’s ‘Commerce Pro’ streamlines content creation for e-commerce
AI-powered content creation for e-commerce: Commerce Pro by CapCut introduces an innovative platform designed to streamline and enhance content production for online retailers and marketers. The platform leverages artificial intelligence to generate a variety of content types, including shoppable video ads, product images, and social media content. Users can create marketing materials simply by providing a product link, making the content creation process more efficient and accessible. Commerce Pro by CapCut aims to address the growing demand for high-quality, diverse content in the e-commerce sector. Key features and capabilities: The platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools tailored specifically for...
read Nov 7, 2024AI, e-commerce and the future of online shopping
AI revolutionizing e-commerce: Artificial intelligence is transforming online shopping, with businesses investing over $8 billion to create personalized and efficient experiences for customers. AI-powered product recommendations are driving up to 30% of e-commerce revenues, highlighting their significance in the industry. The technology is being applied across various aspects of e-commerce, from personalized shopping experiences to advanced inventory management and fraud detection. Personalization and customer experience: AI analyzes user data to tailor shopping experiences, making customers feel understood and valued. Companies like Frito-Lay and Home Depot use IBM's Watson to analyze customer data in real-time, ensuring highly personalized recommendations. AI-powered chatbots...
read Nov 6, 2024AI startup Osmo can literally smell whether a sneaker is a counterfeit
Innovative AI-powered authentication: Osmo AI has developed a groundbreaking technology that uses scent analysis to detect counterfeit sneakers and luxury goods, addressing a longstanding concern in the retail industry. The proliferation of counterfeit goods has been a major issue for both luxury and mass-market brands, especially as the second-hand market continues to grow. Counterfeiters have become increasingly skilled at mimicking authentic products, making traditional authentication methods less effective. Osmo's approach utilizes AI-enabled sensors to identify specific scent profiles associated with genuine sneakers, leveraging the unique chemical signatures of materials used in shoe production. How the technology works: Osmo's AI sensors...
read Nov 4, 2024New Salesforce survey shows consumers increasingly receptivity to AI agents for service
The rise of AI agents in customer service: As companies invest heavily in artificial intelligence, a new survey reveals consumer attitudes towards AI-powered customer interactions and highlights the critical role of trust in this evolving landscape. Gartner predicts that by 2028, at least 15% of day-to-day work decisions will be taken autonomously through agentic AI, up from 0% in 2024. Salesforce's State of the AI Connected Customer survey, involving 15,015 people across 18 countries, provides insights into consumer perspectives on AI in customer service. Trust deficit and heightened expectations: The survey reveals a concerning trend of declining consumer trust in...
read Oct 29, 2024Redditors outsmart Google AI to protect local eateries from influencers
Local frustration and digital deception: Londoners on Reddit have launched a creative campaign to protect their favorite local eateries from the influx of tourists and influencers by manipulating Google's AI recommendations. The initiative began in response to a user's complaint about influencers overwhelming a popular sandwich shop at Borough Market, often more interested in taking photos than enjoying the food. Redditors are posting exaggerated positive reviews for the tourist-oriented Aberdeen Angus Steakhouse chain, aiming to divert visitors away from local favorites. The steakhouse, known for its prominent locations and reputation as a tourist trap, has become the focus of this...
read Oct 28, 2024AI scams have come for knitters — why it matters beyond the world of crafting
AI-generated scams target lucrative knitting and crochet industry: Artificial intelligence is being used to create fake knitting and crochet patterns, causing frustration and financial loss for unsuspecting crafters in a multibillion-dollar industry. The knitting and crochet community, with millions of practitioners spending billions annually, has become an attractive target for scammers leveraging AI technology. AI-generated patterns often contain flaws that may not be immediately apparent, leading crafters to waste time, money, and materials on projects that ultimately fail. These scams highlight the broader issue of AI being used to mass-produce fake or flawed content across various domains, potentially impacting other...
read Oct 18, 2024How Walmart is evolving its data analytics platform around AI
Walmart's data analytics evolution: Walmart is transforming its data analytics platform to leverage AI and provide actionable insights for suppliers and merchants. Walmart Data Ventures, established nearly four years ago, created the Walmart Luminate platform to help both the retailer and its suppliers understand shopping patterns and product movement. The platform is now being rebranded as Scintilla, reflecting its expansion beyond the U.S. market and its focus on AI-driven recommendations. Scintilla aims to provide not just data points but also actionable recommendations to help drive business decisions. Key features and developments: The platform's evolution includes new tools and features designed...
read Oct 17, 2024How Moët Hennessy balances luxury expectations with AI hype
Luxury meets AI: Moët Hennessy's cautious embrace of generative technology: Moët Hennessy, a leader in the luxury alcohol industry, is carefully exploring the potential of generative AI to enhance its marketing strategies while maintaining the high standards expected of premium brands. Efficiency through innovation: Generative AI presents significant opportunities for Moët Hennessy to streamline operations and redirect resources towards more strategic initiatives. Tatyana Ilyin, director of digital for Moët Hennessy's champagne portfolio, estimates that teams currently dedicate 80% of their time to routine tasks that don't directly contribute to business growth. By leveraging AI, the company aims to automate these...
read Oct 17, 2024Google Shopping’s AI now tempts you to spend more
AI-powered enhancements revolutionize Google Shopping: Google has unveiled a significant update to its Shopping platform, integrating advanced artificial intelligence features to transform the online shopping experience for users. Key AI-driven features: The update introduces several intelligent tools designed to streamline product research and decision-making for consumers. An AI-powered brief now provides a concise summary of key considerations for user searches, offering a quick overview of important factors to consider. The platform now categorizes search results into relevant groupings, making it easier for users to navigate through options. Intelligent product recommendations aim to simplify the research process, potentially reducing the time...
read Oct 15, 2024Google Shopping unveils personalized product feed with AI summaries
Google's Shopping Overhaul: Personalization and AI Take Center Stage: Google is introducing significant updates to its Shopping platform, aiming to create a more tailored and user-friendly experience for consumers. Personalized 'For You' Feed: Google Shopping is introducing a personalized product feed, initially on mobile devices, to enhance user engagement and discovery. The new feature appears at shopping.google.com, presenting users with a carousel of recently viewed items for quick access to previous searches. Scrolling down reveals recommended products and in-line videos based on user interests, leveraging recent searches and YouTube viewing history. Users can refine recommendations by using a "thumbs-down" button...
read Oct 14, 2024Mattel is using Adobe’s AI tools to rethink Barbie packaging
AI-enhanced toy packaging: A new frontier for Mattel and Adobe: Mattel, in collaboration with Adobe, is leveraging generative AI technology to revolutionize the toy packaging design process, with a focus on expediting the time-to-market for their products. Mattel is utilizing Adobe's Firefly AI tools to create background images for toy packaging, particularly for dolls that are typically displayed in their original packaging. The collaboration aims to significantly reduce the time required to bring toys to store shelves by streamlining parts of the design process. AI-generated backgrounds, with human refinement, are expected to appear on Mattel toy packaging in stores in...
read Oct 13, 2024Amazon’s new AI Shopping Guides know what to buy before you do
AI Shopping Revolution: Amazon introduces AI Shopping Guides, a new feature designed to revolutionize the product research process by leveraging generative AI models to create personalized shopping companions. The AI Shopping Guides are currently available on Amazon's website and mobile app, but only for users in the United States. The feature covers more than 100 product categories, offering AI-curated information and recommendations. How It Works: The AI Shopping Guides integrate seamlessly into the standard search process, providing users with an additional resource alongside traditional search results. When users search for an item, an AI guide appears if available for that...
read Oct 10, 2024Amazon’s Rufus AI now shows price history to select shoppers
Rufus evolves: Amazon's AI shopping assistant now offers price history insights: Amazon has introduced a new feature to its AI-powered shopping assistant Rufus, allowing select US users to check price history for products directly within the platform. Key features and functionality: Rufus, Amazon's shopping-focused chatbot, has expanded its capabilities to provide users with valuable pricing information, enhancing the shopping experience. Users can access Rufus through a speech bubble icon in Amazon's app or website, making it easily accessible during the browsing process. To check a product's price history, shoppers simply navigate to the product page, tap on Rufus, and prompt...
read Oct 9, 2024Walmart unveils Wallaby LLM, diversifying its AI strategy
Walmart's AI Innovation: Introducing Wallaby LLM: Walmart, the retail giant, is expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities with the development of Wallaby, a suite of retail-focused large language models (LLMs) designed to enhance customer service and operational efficiency. Wallaby's unique features and potential applications: Trained on decades of Walmart data, Wallaby is designed to understand the specific language patterns of Walmart employees and customers, aiming to provide more natural and aligned responses with the company's core values. Desirée Gosby, vice president of Emerging Technology at Walmart Global Tech, revealed that Wallaby is currently undergoing extensive internal testing, particularly with Walmart associates....
read Oct 9, 2024Amazon’s new AI Shopping Guides help shoppers find what they need
AI-Powered Shopping Guides: Amazon's Latest Innovation: Amazon has rolled out a new AI-powered feature called "Shopping Guides" to enhance the user experience for customers browsing products on its platform. Key features and functionality: The AI Shopping Guides are designed to provide more tailored product information and recommendations to users as they browse Amazon's extensive catalog. The feature is currently available for over 100 product types, including popular categories such as TVs, headphones, running shoes, and skincare products. Shopping Guides offer educational content about products and incorporate customer insights to help users make more informed purchase decisions. The system presents recommended...
read Oct 9, 2024AI shopping agents could transform how you buy on Amazon
Amazon's AI ambitions in e-commerce: The tech giant is developing advanced AI agents aimed at revolutionizing the online shopping experience, with potential implications for both consumers and the broader retail industry. Amazon recently introduced Rufus, a chatbot powered by a large language model (LLM) trained on internet text and Amazon's proprietary data, capable of answering questions about products on the platform. The company's current LLM boasts "hundreds of billions of parameters," with an even larger model in development. Future AI agents may have the ability to perform complex tasks like navigating websites or operating a PC to complete various actions....
read Oct 8, 2024Instacart’s new ‘Caper Carts’ use AI to gamify grocery shopping
AI-powered shopping carts revolutionize grocery shopping: Instacart's new Caper Carts are transforming the grocery shopping experience with advanced AI features, turning a mundane chore into an interactive and efficient adventure. The Caper Carts are equipped with a touchscreen that provides navigation guidance, personalized recommendations, and discounts. These smart carts use cameras, scales, and sensors to evaluate items placed inside, eliminating the need for traditional checkout lines. Powered by Nvidia's AI libraries and on-device processing platform, the carts can identify products as they are added. Enhanced shopping experience: The AI-powered Caper Carts offer a range of features designed to make grocery...
read Sep 27, 2024Americans more satisfied with car dealerships due to digitization, AI
Digital transformation reshapes car buying experience: A recent study reveals that digitization has significantly impacted the car purchasing process, with most Americans conducting extensive online research before visiting dealerships. Key findings on consumer behavior: 60% of respondents purchased new vehicles, while 40% opted for leases 80% of buyers spent less than $50,000 on their purchase 84% bought from traditional dealerships, while 15% used online platforms like Carvana or CarMax 88% reported their buying experience was the same or better than previous purchases Online research plays crucial role: 54% of respondents spent 1-10 hours researching online before buying 25% dedicated more...
read Sep 24, 2024The Next Time You Call a Restaurant You Might Be Talking to an AI
AI revolutionizing restaurant reservations: The hospitality industry is witnessing a significant shift as more restaurants turn to artificial intelligence to handle phone reservations, streamlining operations and addressing staffing challenges. Several startups, including Maitre-D AI, RestoHost, and Slang, have emerged in recent years, offering AI-powered reservation services to restaurants across major cities. These AI assistants are designed to alleviate the workload of restaurant staff, particularly in establishments facing chronic understaffing in the post-pandemic era. The technology aims to manage the high volume of calls received by popular restaurants, which can range from 800 to 1,000 calls per month in busy urban...
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