Winning the retail race: How AI can help deliver service at lower cost

Artificial Intelligence allows non-stop checkout, automatic payment with autonomous drones completing last-mile delivery at shoppers' doorsteps

In-built facial recognition and natural language processing (NLP) capabilities enable a fleet of virtual agents to greet shoppers personally, provide directions and anticipate orders. Machine Learning (ML) personalises promotions to match shoppers’ current mood and past spending preferences; in-store beacons send offers to their smartphones as they navigate through the store. Computer vision with deep learning identifi¬es items added to the shopping cart. Adding data through sensors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) allows non-stop checkout and automatic payment with autonomous drones completing last-mile delivery at shoppers’ doorsteps.

As whimsical as these innovations may sound, none are hypothetical. These technologies are being tested for