Machine-powered retail - InternetRetailing

Retailers are starting to use artificial intelligence to power both customer engagement and service. Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the brink of going mainstream in retail because it shows real potential in helping traders give their customers better service. As more retailers are investing in developing their own approaches to AI, commerce platform providers are also adding more and more automated decision making and machine learning to their software. The time is right for businesses of any shape and size to look into the potential of this technology. Retailer Shop Direct is already using AI and machine learning to talk to its customers but has plans to push this further in the next 12 months. Last year, its Very.co.uk brand launched an automated'Very Assistant' within its mobile iOS app that answers shoppers' customer service questions through a conversational user interface (CUI).