Retailers need more decision automation, faster coordination of supply chains, and faster interactions with consumers, which means they will increasingly rely on AI. Automated decisioning systems will soon be making fine-grained micro-decisions on the retailer's behalf, impacting customers, employees, partners, and suppliers. But these systems can't run autonomously -- they need human managers. Every system for making micro-decisions needs to be monitored. Monitoring ensures the decision-making is "good enough" while also creating the data needed to spot problems and systematically improve the decision-making over time.

When you look back at some of the iconic films and TV series from the 60s to the 80s like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek and Back to the Future, it's surprising how many'futuristic' inventions that seemed fantastical are now a reality, or close to being so. We haven't achieved a time machine or teleporter yet, but flying cars, wearable computers and fully automated factories are here to stay. And, if Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are successful in their new ventures, we'll soon have human brain/computer interfaces. This kind of innovation isn't just happening in the world of technology, it's also being applied to the field of data science. With major advances in computing power and self-correcting algorithms, it is now possible for retailers to use predictive analytics to fine-tune their forecasting, replenishment and price/promotions decisions to improve efficiency and increase margins and revenue.

Going to the beach and picking out a hot swimsuit are some of the greatest pleasures summer has to offer -- for approximately .00000001% of the general population. Unless you're, say, a hairless Justin Bieber, nothing is more torturous than buying a new swimsuit. You've got to find something that remains *on trend* and accentuates your butt *just right* but if you text one more anxious changing room selfie to your roommate, she will take her things and leave. And while the pressure is on for everybody, it's particularly acute for the queer, trans and non-binary community, whose swimwear options are woefully limited, though growing. SEE ALSO: All the characters in'Beauty and the Beast' who were probably gay all along Slowly -- and I emphasize that with as many sarcastic eye rolls as the human eye can safely muster -- independent designers have stepped up to the plate with gender-inclusive designs.

High street retailers could be a thing of the past by 2050 as virtual reality takes over the way we shop, experts predict. The only time we can expect to be asked "Are you being served?" is when interacting with an artificially intelligent app. The kind of department store epitomised by Grace Brothers in the 1970s sitcom of that name is likely to be consigned to history by the middle of the century. Instead people will make all their purchases from home, trying on clothes in virtual reality changing rooms and getting advice from AI (artificial intelligence) shop assistants that know exactly how to cater for their tastes. Online deliveries dropped into the back garden by flying robot drones will become a part of every day life.