E-Commerce has exploded in recent years, with consumers choosing to make many of their purchases online in favor of traveling to brick-and-mortar locations. However, there are many retail sectors where consumers still prefer to buy in-person, even if their pre-purchase research is largely aided by online channels. Apparel is one area that fits this pattern, with consumers wanting to try on sizes, see how the products actually look, and wear them to ensure an adequate level of comfort. In addition, consumers of specialty retailers enjoy the in-store experience due to the knowledgeable sales associates who are able to educate them and guide them towards relevant products and services. For this reason, many retailers have struggled to match the online shopping experience with the traditional brick-and-mortar shopping experience.

Millions of people in the last year or so have bought microphones so that Amazon.com AMZN 1.42 % could listen in on them at home. And I just got more, built into new speakers called the Tap and the Echo Dot. Some day, Amazon could be embedded in appliances, listening all over your house. Why would you want that?

Millions of people in the last year or so have bought microphones so that Amazon.com AMZN 1.58 % could listen in on them at home. And I just got more, built into new speakers called the Tap and the Echo Dot. Some day, Amazon could be embedded in appliances, listening all over your house. Why would you want that?

Millions of people in the last year or so have bought microphones so that Amazon.com AMZN 1.63 % could listen in on them at home. And I just got more, built into new speakers called the Tap and the Echo Dot. Some day, Amazon could be embedded in appliances, listening all over your house. Why would you want that?

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Hitachi recently announced the development of "EMIEW3," a humanoid robot, and its "remote brain" robotics IT platform. This platform was developed to provide necessary services and guidance in stores and public facilities. Enhanced by the "remote brain" consisting of a robotics IT platform connected to cloud-based intelligent processing systems and a remote operation system to monitor and control multiple robots at various locations, EMIEW3 is able to provide high quality services. Since the announcement of "EMIEW" in 2005, Hitachi has continued to develop human symbiotic robots that can safely co-exist with humans, providing robot-based services with advanced communication capabilities. Using EMIEW2, first announced in 2007, Hitachi developed functions necessary for customer and guidance services, and demonstrated capabilities which include autonomous mobility at a brisk human walking pace, isolation of human voice from background noise, accessing information from the Web to identify objects and using indoor network cameras as "eyes" to locate objects. More recently, artificial intelligence technology was applied for functions requiring advanced intelligent processing such as for dialogue with appropriate response to questions posed in different forms and predictive function to avoid collision with moving objects which may suddenly appear from blind angles.

The Brand AI can analyse this liquid big data using its machine learning capabilities to create dynamic real-time personalised actionable insights seamlessly across a customer's physical and digital experience – it is the heartbeat of the retailer's invisible omni-channel offering. For example, the Brand AI can advise in-store sales staff in advance what specific products a customer wants or needs that particular day to help personalise this human interaction, provide on the spot guidance and critical feedback about products available immediately to drive a purchasing decision, or tailor in-store digital experiences such as virtual reality or media walls to create genuine moments of customer delight. In addition, the AI can capture the customer's emotional and physical reactions via wearables to these experiences (such as a raised heartbeat when seeing a new product for the first time); such insights can then be explored later by the customer (including socially with family and friends) using the AI on the retailer's integrated digital channel to sustain their retention. A further opportunity for using Brand AI is its potential ability to streamline inventory management to improve the customer experience and reduce operating risk.

So how could a scalable retail artificial intelligence in the cloud – Brand AI – turn these challenges into unique opportunities for competitive advantage? But unlike today's arguably bland, soulless smartphone versions that focus on delivering simple functionality; Brand AI would have a unique, human character that reflects the retailer's values to inform its interactions and maturing relationship with an individual customer. Intended to be more than another'digital novelty', this disruptive form of customer engagement builds on and enhances a B&M's traditional brand as a trusted long term friend throughout the entire customer journey by offering compelling, timely presale insights, instant payment processing and effective after sales support and care. A customer is empowered to select what personal data they choose to share (or keep private) with the Brand AI to enrich their relationship. Social, location, wearable or browsing and buying behaviour data from complementary or even competing retailers could potentially be shared via its cloud platform.

The sprawling Amazon fulfillment center in DuPont, Washington, seems more like the set of a science fiction flick than a warehouse crammed with consumer goods. Thousands of bright orange robots haul heavy stacks of pallets and packages across the slick concrete floor, while hulking yellow robotic arms retrieve and return inventory to sky-high shelves.

In this special guest feature, Dave O'Flanagan, CEO and co-founder of Boxever, outlines how airlines are leveraging big data and predictive capabilities to transform how they engage with customers. Dave is the CEO and co-founder of Boxever, a data science and omni-channel personalization platform for travel companies. At Boxever, Dave's focus is enabling airlines and travel providers to improve the customer experience, generate revenue and enhance loyalty through one-to-one, personalized marketing. Dave has more than 15 years' experience developing and managing enterprise software in mobile telecoms, travel and cloud. Earlier he was VP of engineering at CUSP, a cloud-based document management startup and was a lead architect at CAPE Technologies.