Ed DeFraine describes how AI improved managing vending machines, flanked at left by Jason Hosking of Hivery, Reza Kasravi of Coca-Cola North America and Matt Robards of Hivery. The power of artificial intelligence in automated retailing has been proven in the full line beverage vending industry, a business that requires managing product selection and service for thousands of machines across hundreds of miles. Reyes Coca Cola Bottling, an Irvine, California-based Coke bottler serving California and Nevada, presented the results of a two-year AI project that helped the company to significantly improve sales and reduce service costs. Ed DeFraine, vice president of food service and on-premise for the bottling company, explained the AI project during last week's National Automatic Merchandising Association show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. He was joined by representatives of the company's AI partner in the project, Australia-based Hivery. DeFraine told attendees that the project marks the first application of AI in the full line beverage vending industry.