Listening to current retail technology discussions, it's safe to say that artificial intelligence is the early favorite for buzzword of the year, with countless taglines promising unprecedented productivity improvements based on AI. Advanced forecasting is often cited as one of the top areas where AI holds great promise – but how do you separate the hype from the reality? As retailers make big investments in AI technologies that can transform their business, a key focus is increasing supply chain effectiveness and creating more accurate forecasts. However, prior to implementing new solutions, retailers need to have a clear understanding of what advanced forecasting actually entails, how AI will play a role in advanced forecasting, and what their specific forecasting strategy needs really are. By definition, artificial intelligence means "the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior."

Artificial Intelligence is the giant leap of our generation. It will transform the retail customer experience in the next few years. You must either be a leader or a follower, but you must be a player. Competitors who don't embrace this new technology will suffer the consequences, lose market share and even fail just like we have seen other retailers do over the years who didn't or couldn't make the leap. Growth waves always move forward and always transform.

He invested $42 million in the project. LOS ANGELES -- Beyond delivery drones, space travel and other outside projects, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is also fascinated with time. Bezos announced in a tweet Tuesday that construction had begun on a 500-foot tall "10,000 Year Clock," showing a time-lapse, high-speed video of workers putting it together. The clock itself is described by Bezos as one "designed to be a symbol, an icon for long-term thinking. He is working with the Long Now Foundation to help build the clock that will keep time for the next 10,000 years, says Bezos. "As I see it, humans are now technologically advanced enough that we can create not only extraordinary wonders but also civilization-scale problems," he wrote on a 10,000 Clock website. "We're likely to need more long-term thinking."

Having started my career in the pre-technology era, I am very accustomed to talking rather than texting. Plus, being from New York City, I frequently use my hands to communicate, gesturing to add emphasis or other emotions. All of this means that this new era of intelligent devices--objects you can speak to and wave at--is a very comfortable one for me. Voice-recognition technologies are among the top trends of 2018. Most of us are familiar with Siri, Google Home, and Alexa.

With Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods, the rise of subscription meal kits, and new competition from pureplay grocery delivery services, it seems like everyone is trying to build a better grocery store. But what if the supermarket of the future is the one right around the corner? When we think about artificial intelligence and its potential to transform the retail industry, it is easy to overlook how it could affect one of the most fundamental shopping experiences around: the grocery store. Right now, the conversation and real-world applications of AI are limited to voice assistants and chatbots. But the potential goes much farther than that.

As e-commerce goes mainstream, more product searches take place on Amazon every day than on Google or Facebook. The online economy is growing and growing but more evidence shows that Amazon's intricate engine, which now includes voice AI interfaces such as Echo, is threatening traditional retailers. The most recent study by digital marketing agency Wolfgang Digital has found that e-commerce transactions are up 32pc on last year and traffic is up 14pc. 'Amazon is now actively listening to you in your home so it can sell you more things next time you log on to Amazon on a screen. What's more, consumers are paying for the privilege of welcoming this 21st-century Trojan horse into their home' – ALAN COLEMAN It estimates that Ireland's online economy is worth €12.3bn, or 6pc of GDP in 2017.

Geeky has never been so glamorous. To help shoppers find fashions that fit their bodies, budgets and styles, more retailers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI). As one of today's hottest technology trends, AI translates vast volumes of retail big data into rich, actionable insights, so executives can make smart decisions faster. AI has evolved into a strategic asset in retail, as the sector faces overwhelming upheaval. Amid the blistering pace of innovation, and empowered consumers who expect omnichannel excellence, affordable fashions and personalized marketing, AI guides retailers by delivering fact-based intelligence to delight shoppers.

In-store robots could take some jobs but also create others. The smell of mall food staples such as pretzels and teriyaki chicken fill the air. Passing by you in every which way are hundreds of patrons, carrying bags of goods with smiles on their faces. What makes a mall so convenient, and what makes many of these individuals go from store to store so cheerfully? However, despite their personable natures and friendly suggestions that add to the retail experience, new breakthroughs in the world of AI technology could replace many retail workers – but could this actually be a blessing in disguise? To understand why big companies such as Starbucks and Lowe's are making the switch to AI, we must first recognize exactly how this technology is being used, why it is more efficient, and what this means for the retail industry as we creep even closer to the new year.

Convenience store chain Lawson Inc. might use artificial intelligence to help it make decisions about opening new stores, company officials said Sunday. Lawson aims to enhance the capability of stores to fulfill particular needs in each region by using AI to collect and analyze marketing data, including household distribution patterns and traffic volumes, to predict the profitability of new stores in each target area. It would be the first such attempt to incorporate AI technology in Japan's retail sector, the officials said. Demonstrations of the technology began at the end of last year, when the firm opened new Lawson Store 100 shops that sell fresh foods. The retailer plans to expand the introduction of AI to other stores, including its conventional Lawson and high-end Natural Lawson outlets.

The Mohammadi Group's automated knitting machines leave little for humans to do. The Robots Are Coming for Garment Workers. That's Good for the U.S., Bad for Poor Countries Automation is reaching into trades that once seemed immune, transforming sweatshops in places like Bangladesh and bringing production back to America The Mohammadi Group's automated knitting machines leave little for humans to do.