Apple Inc. got an early start in artificial intelligence software with the 2011 introduction of Siri, a tool that lets users operate their smartphones with voice commands. Now the electronics giant is bringing artificial intelligence to chips. Apple is working on a processor devoted specifically to AI-related tasks, according to a person familiar with the matter. The chip, known internally as the Apple Neural Engine, would improve the way the company's devices handle tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence -- such as facial recognition and speech recognition, said the person, who requested anonymity discussing a product that hasn't been made public. Engineers at Apple are racing to catch their peers at Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc. in the booming field of artificial intelligence. While Siri gave Apple an early advantage in voice-recognition, competitors have since been more aggressive in deploying AI across their product lines, including Amazon's Echo and Google's Home digital assistants.

The most disruptive force in the consumer products (CP) industry today is the consumer. In the old days, many consumers would accept poor buying experiences – mostly because they had nowhere else to go. But today, CP companies can no longer depend on captive consumers who are reliably channeled to a few retail outlets in the physical world, where the bulk of control exists on the supply side of the equation. In a digital economy, consumers can buy anywhere – in an instant. This change has led to an emphasis on outcomes. Because when consumers can go anywhere, they need a reason to choose you.

High street retail hasn't changed much in the last few decades. Yep, there's click and collect and online returns but, as in years gone by, product buyers decide what will sell by using a mix of nous and trends analysis. Fashion, for example, may be getting faster (quicker production time and fulfilment) but the knack is still in predicting the season's trends and riding the wave. In-store merchandising, too, is a matter of long-honed instincts as to what should go where. What I'm saying is there's a lot of art in the high-street retail business (particularly fashion), and it attracts suitably artistic people.

Fighting your way through crowded aisles of shoppers can be a stressful experience, but Amazon is launching a service that could soon make this a thing of the past. AmazonFresh Pickup lets consumers order their groceries online and will have them ready to pick up in as little as 15 minutes. And to make the experience even less hassle, crew members from the retail firm will deliver the items directly to your car. The firm has just opened up two kiosks in Seattle with plans to expand the service if trials go well. Amazon has launched a Fresh Pickup service that will have your online grocery order ready to in collect in as little as 15 minutes.

Kieran O'Neill, CEO of London fashion startup Thread, is building a new way of shopping for clothes. His site uses online stylists, as well as artificial inteligence (AI) and machine learning, to create a personalised way to shop. But that can cause problems when he visits standard clothes shops. "We went to Liberty for a bit and I went to the men's section," O'Neill said in an interview at Thread's London office. "[I] went to the rack and was browsing and I looked at it and it wasn't my size. I felt this rage, this offence that why would you bother showing it to me if it's not actually in my size?"

Apple Inc. got an early start in artificial intelligence software with the 2011 introduction of Siri, a tool that lets users operate their smartphones with voice commands. Now the electronics giant is bringing artificial intelligence to chips. Apple is working on a processor devoted specifically to AI-related tasks, according to a person familiar with the matter. The chip, known internally as the Apple Neural Engine, would improve the way the company's devices handle tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence -- such as facial recognition and speech recognition, said the person, who requested anonymity discussing a product that hasn't been made public. Engineers at Apple are racing to catch their peers at Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc. in the booming field of artificial intelligence. While Siri gave Apple an early advantage in voice-recognition, competitors have since been more aggressive in deploying AI across their product lines, including Amazon's Echo and Google's Home digital assistants.

In case you missed it, the concept for Amazon Go is pretty simple. It's a grocery store where a shopper walks in, scans their smartphone as they enter, picks up their groceries, and walks out, completely skipping the payment process. Currently only available for employee beta testing, Amazon Go's first location is a small premises in Seattle but stores could spread like wildfire if the company iron out rumored technology teething problems. While they are currently cagey about details (we asked for an interview), the Wall Street Journal reports that the system in their first store can only handle 20 test shoppers at a time. To truly dominate the grocery market, size and choice matters, which means Amazon Go's current model could hamper mainstream adoption.

In just a few years, Artificial intelligence (AI) has successfully maneuvered itself into the daily vernacular of people worldwide. It takes countless shapes and forms, and has altered the way that we view the world and technological possibilities. There's no way of telling just how much development will take place in the next decade. But, one of the places in which AI has been truly impressive has been the world of online retail. We've seen a huge surge of companies using AI to increase their bottom line while providing enriched customer experience.

China's biggest online retailer, JD.com Inc., announced plans Monday to develop drone aircraft capable of carrying a ton or more for long-distance deliveries. The company said it will test the drones on a network it is developing to cover the northern Chinese province of Shaanxi. It said they will carry consumer goods to remote areas and farm produce to cities. China's biggest online retailer, JD.com Inc., announced plans Monday to develop drone aircraft capable of carrying a ton or more for long-distance deliveries. China's biggest online retailer, JD.com Inc., has announced plans to develop drone aircraft capable of carrying a ton or more for long-distance deliveries. The craft will be tested on a network it is developing to cover the northern Chinese province of Shaanxi.

Amazon's checkout-free'Go' supermarkets could soon by coming to the UK. The firm has successfully registered trademarks for the store's taglines, including'No Lines. This had led to speculation that Amazon Go stores, which allow customers to avoid queues by buying all of their food through an app, may soon be opening in Britain. Amazon's checkout-free'Go' grocery stores could soon by coming to the UK after the firm patented the shop's tagline, 'No Lines. To enter the store, customers simply open the Amazon Go app and place it to a sensor located on what appears to be a turnstyle in the entrance.