By now, most of us are comfortable with the idea that artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay and that it holds enormous potential to change the way the world works. However, to the average person, the conversation can seem dominated by visions of the future, with experts keen to discuss what AI will do, rather than what it does right now. AI is making a practical impact as we speak, and for industries such as retail, it is already forming a fundamental part of a business strategy. AI learns from data and in particular, it learns how to predict. These predictions can be used in many applications and then integrated into business systems and processes to automate and truly harness the power of AI.

Alexa-enabled devices like the Echo or Echo Dot can be used to control smart home products such as the Ring Alarm Kit. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from USA TODAY's newsroom and any business incentives. Prime Day is a great opportunity to find money-saving deals on smart home products that can be controlled using Amazon Alexa on your Echo device. From smart doorbells to pressure cookers, here are the best Alexa-compatible Prime Day deals of 2019.

Over the past 15 years, the traditional retail model has been dramatically disrupted by online retail. With the introduction of online retail, shopping is gradually being transformed from an offline activity to an online one. That was the first retail disruption, but it's not the last. Increasingly online retailers and offline retailers are evolving to provide an immersive, seamless, and personalised shopping experience. Customers don't want a fully digital experience while shopping; rather they want a digital shopping experience that is so seamless as to not seem like a shopping experience at all.

There are almost too many amazing ways to save this weekend. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. However, our picks and opinions are independent from USA Today's newsroom and any business incentives. Amazon Prime Day starts in less than two days, but you don't have to wait until midnight (PST) on Sunday to find incredible discounts, nor do you need to shop just on Amazon. It turns out there are a lot of deals on Amazon and sales at other major retailers already available that are actually totally worth it.

Prime Day, Amazon's made-up summer shopping extravaganza, is back again, and this year, it's going into overtime. Prime Day is now a 48-hour event, giving you two days to get your hands on some discounted goods. Amazon's self-made holiday originally began as a celebration of its 20 year anniversary, and has grown into a true shopping spectacle, comparable to Black Friday. Prices will be slashed on lots of tech, including popular consumer electronics, games, smart home gear, and other gadgets you didn't think you needed until now. This year, Prime Day starts on July 15 at 12 a.m.

With Prime Day just around the corner, here are 5 products on Amazon that truly deserve their 5-star ratings AND a spot in your shopping cart. Has Amazon Prime Day become the new Black Friday? For the fifth July in a row, the country's biggest e-commerce marketplace – it now accounts for about 50% of all U.S. retail sales, according to eMarketer – offers aggressive discounts on several products, in a variety of categories. This year's Prime Day – it actually runs 48 hours starting Monday at 12 a.m. PT and through Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. PT – looks to be no different, especially if you're into video games.

In a bid to cut down on theft and mistakes, Walmart is using artificial intelligence hooked up to cameras monitoring checkouts to ensure every item in your cart is scanned and paid for. This is already happening at over 1,000 Walmart stores. As Business Insider reports, the system is known internally as Missed Scan Detection and uses computer vision to monitor both manned and self-checkout areas at each store. The system is able to detect when an item goes unscanned, or is mis-scanned, and reports the fault to a checkout attendant who can then approach and rectify the problem. According to Walmart spokeswoman LeMia Jenkins, "Walmart is making a true investment to ensure the safety of our customers and associates ... Over the last three years, the company has invested over half a billion dollars in an effort to prevent, reduce and deter crime in our stores and parking lots. We are continuously investing in people, programs and technology to keep our stores and communities safe."

As an ecommerce store owner or operator, do you spend a great deal of time answering basic queries? Such as were can a customer find a product, or questions about shipping and delivery. Would it not be nice to have software to answer these questions for you? Chatbots for ecommerce can help you with this and many more problems. Across many sectors, chatbots have been instrumental in attracting and retaining customers.

Apple Inc. will launch its HomePod smart speakers in Japan this summer at a retail price of ¥32,800, according to its website, although the exact date has yet to be announced. On sale since February 2018 in the United States and a number of other countries, the artificial intelligence-enabled speakers have attracted interest for their sound quality and integration with Siri, Apple's voice-controlled personal assistant that responds to simple questions and commands. The tube-shaped speakers are 17 centimeters high and 14 cm wide. Inc. and Google LLC have also each developed smart speakers.

In this special guest feature, Matt Field, President and Co-Founder of MakerSights, says there's no denying that AI and ML are starting to change the nature of the retail industry. One of its greatest benefits will be in how intelligent automation can be used by humans to augment their jobs. Drawing from his extensive background in both retail and technology as the former employee #1 at Birchbox, Matt is helping to transform the way brands develop and bring to market new products by combining voice of the customer software and predictive analytics. Through the MakerSights platform, leading apparel, accessories, footwear and home brands are able to de-risk their most important product decisions, making more of the products their customers want, and driving greater speed and profitability across their businesses. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are no longer just buzzwords of tech giants and consulting firms.