Many recent studies have investigated social biases in LLMs but brand bias has received little attention. This research examines the biases exhibited by LLMs towards different brands, a significant concern given the widespread use of LLMs in affected use cases such as product recommendation and market analysis. Biased models may perpetuate societal inequalities, unfairly favoring established global brands while marginalizing local ones. Using a curated dataset across four brand categories, we probe the behavior of LLMs in this space. We find a consistent pattern of bias in this space -- both in terms of disproportionately associating global brands with positive attributes and disproportionately recommending luxury gifts for individuals in high-income countries. We also find LLMs are subject to country-of-origin effects which may boost local brand preference in LLM outputs in specific contexts.

With AskSid's retail AI brain serving business innovation, we have supported a host of global brands including AkzoNobel, Danone, Wolford, Akris, and Himalaya in improving marketing efficacy, launching new product lines, and expanding to new markets, all led by actionable insights. With live implementations across 23 countries and supporting 100 international languages, AskSid embodies the essence of the retail industry and is driving change in the way brands meet their customers going forward. This infographic brings together every milestone, every AI advancement, and piece of news that kept us going in 2021. AskSid is a global conversational solutions company that partners with retail brands to elevate shopping experiences by leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence. Our capabilities extend beyond support automation, extending to insight extraction, analysis, and business opportunity generation, all by leveraging the power of conversational data.

Thanks to social media, consumers are more engaged than ever and have access to information almost at the same level as an industry insider. Senior merchants at retailers and brands have a very difficult time presenting consumers with a point of view because they already have it. Just look at the fragmentation of trends – the chief merchant of a $4 billion apparel brand recently told me "the new trend is that there is no trend." As a result, consumers want what they value, and they are doing the investigation and curation themselves. And, what they see on the runway now, they want now – not months down the road.

Creative Capital is IT World Canada's series that examines the impact digital transformation is having to change the face of communities across Canada. We're doing deep dives looking at the major tech hubs on the leading edge of the 21st-century knowledge economy. Our first five stories will focus on York Regions, exploring the densest ICT hub in Canada, its verticals, startups, and the factors contributing to its success. When the federal government unveils its short-list in contention for the $950 million it has earmarked for innovation superclusters later this year, don't be surprised if a consortium from York Region is on it. Up to five superclusters will share the funding based on the merits of their proposals, with Innovation, Science, and Economic Development (ISED) Minister Navdeep Bains saying the objective is to create Canada's own "Silicon Valley," and create good middle-class jobs.