This means the intersection of IoT, point of sale, payments, analytics and loyalty, among others. In this article, you will hear a broad spectrum of my own interests and some predictions and insights on the future or retail, technology in 2017 and beyond. Since Star Cloud itself is in the business of IoT, and connecting the cloud, devices in the store (such as printers) with mobile and the consumers themselves, while empowering small businesses in the process, we realize that now more than ever, everything is connected. Amazon Go is remarkable as an example of the confluence of sensor data that will be possible in the future store. We believe analytics are a bit part of how retailers of the future will be able to leverage data in the brick-and-mortar shopping locations of the next decade.

Since the 1970s, when automated teller machines arrived, the number of bank tellers in America has more than doubled. James Bessen, an economist who teaches at Boston University School of Law, points to that seeming paradox amid new concerns that automation is "stealing" human jobs. To the contrary, he says, jobs and automation often grow hand in hand. Sometimes, of course, machines really do replace humans, as in agriculture and manufacturing, says Massachusetts Institute of Technology labor economist David Autor in a succinct and illuminating TED talk, which could have served as the headline for this column. Across an entire economy, however, Dr. Autor says that's never happened.

As the AI era continues to unfold, the idea of a future driven by artificial intelligence can evoke mixed emotions.Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates referred to AI as the "holy grail" in computer science. On the other hand, and taking a far more apocalyptic perspective, Tesla CEO Elon Musk likened the development of artificial intelligence technologies to "summoning the demon." Regardless of our feelings on the matter, artificial intelligence is set to play an increasingly prominent role in our day-to-day lives. Let's examine 9 statistics that speak to how artificial intelligence is set to become one of the most important technology trends of our lifetimes. Forget GE! Heres how to play the largest growth opportunity in history Forget GE! Heres how to play the largest growth opportunity in history In a survey of corporate executives, 32% of respondents said voice recognition software like Apple'sSiri, Alphabet's (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Google Assistant, and Amazon.com's

As the AI era continues to unfold, the idea of a future driven by artificial intelligence can evoke mixed emotions.Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates referred to AI as the "holy grail" in computer science. On the other hand, and taking a far more apocalyptic perspective, Tesla CEO Elon Musk likened the development of artificial intelligence technologies to "summoning the demon." Regardless of our feelings on the matter, artificial intelligence is set to play an increasingly prominent role in our day-to-day lives. Let's examine 9 statistics that speak to how artificial intelligence is set to become one of the most important technology trends of our lifetimes. Forget GE! Heres how to play the largest growth opportunity in history Forget GE! Heres how to play the largest growth opportunity in history In a survey of corporate executives, 32% of respondents said voice recognition software like Apple'sSiri, Alphabet's (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Google Assistant, and Amazon.com's

Undoubtedly you've heard the news about Amazon Go. If you haven't, let us be clear: they're not jumping on the Pokemon bandwagon. What we're seeing is an example of a company truly reimagining the idea of what an in-store experience could be. Like we discussed in our AI in Retail Report, we see this, and many other drastic changes coming to the way stores are operated and managed. And while it may seem surprising at first that this is coming from a purely online retailer, it actually makes perfect sense.

What do you buy someone who has everything? Simple answer: something tested and tried on this list! If you're struggling to find the perfect gift to give your grandparents this Christmas season, we've got you covered with these 10 original ideas, perfect for grandma or grandpa. Let your grandparents show off their heritage with pride! You can also add some additional personal touches by picking the matte, frame, coloring letter and more.

Machine learning is one of the more prominent sub-sets of the AI universe, and has been the main sector for a lot of the breakthrough developments. Part of the machine-learning spectrum is'deep learning' - a method that layers data to create neural networks, not unlike the way the brain learns, sparking excitement within the investment community. This is the technology that allows Google to filter your emails and for Netflix to deliver viewing recommendations that you might actually want to watch. While these might sound rather trivial applications, they are big wins for the consumer engagement and brand loyalty.

Cognitive computing is rapidly infusing every aspect of our lives. As 2017 approaches, the cognitive revolution--riding on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data science -- is coming home to roost more rapidly than many realize. Here are my predictions for the many ways in which you may encounter cognitive technology. Most e-commerce applications now include in-line chatbots that pop out automatically and/or at your request to answer your questions, recommend products for you to purchase, and otherwise make your customer experience more seamless and satisfying. Behind the natural-language conversational interface are cognitive algorithms that are built and tuned by data scientists through real-world experiments, A/B tests, machine learning, and predictive analytics assets in line to merchants' applications.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing everything from marketing to healthcare. And this holiday season is the beginning of the future for how marketers will leverage AI to better understand, connect with, and create superior experiences for consumers. To better appreciate the impact that AI is having on retailers, I connected with IBM's first CMO, Michelle Peluso. Peluso has a strong background in retail, having served at the CEO of Gilt as well as the Global Consumer Chief Marketing and Internet Officer at Citigroup. Peluso provides her thoughts below on how Watson's AI capability is changing the way retailers impact the consumer shopping experience.

Amazon could be about to launch its own British bricks-and-mortar supermarket where shoppers pay with their phone because it has no cashiers. The internet giant's business idea, called'Amazon Go', allows customers to grab the items they need and walk out without going to a till. A special phone or tablet app uses a range of sensors detecting what shoppers take off shelves and bills it to their Amazon account if they don't put it back. Shoppers use the app to enter the shop through a turnstile - and do the same when leaving with their food later. Amazon has registered a British trademark, paving the way for a potential launch in the country - but it has already built one in Seattle now being tested by staff.