AI will drive retail profits sky high, says Blue Yonder

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: AI will drive retail profits sky high, says Blue Yonder.

Blue Yonder, provider of artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions for retail, says that artificial intelligence in retail will boost profits by streamlining procedures, automating labour and accelerating innovation.

After recently receiving an IGD industry accolade for their innovative work with leading supermarket Morrisons, Blue Yonder predicts that AI will only benefit the retail industry further, but organisations must keep up with technology trends to reap the benefits. Blue Yonder Replenishment Optimization software, which has generated up to 30% reduction in shelf gaps and two to three days' decrease in stockholding in-store in Morrisons, is a key example of how retail profits will look healthier with the aid of AI.

Prof. Dr. Michael Feindt, particle physicist, ex-CERN scientist and founder of Blue Yonder said: "Along with stock machine learning benefitting retailers, businesses can also use AI to automate tasks that may seem laborious to staff, improving their standing in the company and job satisfaction, as well as giving them more time for their main tasks. AI can also streamline innovation in retail and allow the process of advancement to become quicker. By accelerating the progress of the latest products, AI will grow innovation, remove surplus costs and produce new revenue streams, therefore increasing profitability for the user organisation.

"Retailers will thrive and increase profits if they adapt their organizations, whether in the supply chain or on the shop floor, to match the new speed of developments and keep pace with the world," said Prof. Dr. Feindt.

He continued: "Retail is dealing with many industry changes: the age of millennials has shifted the rules of shopping, requiring options of 24/7 shopping on any platform, delivered when they want it. Combine this with digital transparency of pricing, and the ease of comparing products online, and the retail sphere is a very different place with margins getting ever tighter. This makes it vitally important that retailers are able to utilise artificial intelligence solutions and deliver even better customer experiences, with the most effective replenishment and pricing strategies, while also making it mission-critical to reduce waste."

"Artificial intelligence will only become even more effective over time, being able to detect and respond to changing customer demand patterns through learning and technological developments, allowing retailers to benefit from this and increase their revenues year on year. Only those retailers who understand the importance of advanced machine learning algorithms and Big Data will survive and thrive," concluded Prof. Dr. Feindt.