Artificial Intelligence (AI)
June 18, 2025 at 9:47 pm
As retail navigates macroeconomic headwinds, platform disruption, and increasingly cautious consumer spending, a new dynamic is emerging: creators are evolving into strategic commercial collaborators, not just storytellers. Supercharged by artificial intelligence (AI), creators are rewriting the rules of affiliate and brand partnerships, becoming leaner, smarter and more resilient in the process. In 2025, AI isn’t…
June 16, 2025 at 4:54 pm
Ninety-four percent of retailers are currently using artificial intelligence (AI) for tasks such as data analysis, personalized messaging, and content creation, among others. This was just one of the findings revealed in the recently released report, AI and the Future of the Retail Marketer, produced by Optimove and Total Retail. In this video interview, Total…
June 11, 2025 at 1:10 pm
Walmart announced last week it has launched a new artificial intelligence assistant called "Sparky" that will summarize product reviews, offer recommendations and help shoppers plan purchases. Separately, the global coffee chain Starbucks unveiled a generative AI assistant for baristas that will allow employees to ask questions about menu items and troubleshoot equipment issues, according to…
June 10, 2025 at 12:11 pm
Retail workers have a wave of relief coming. Companies are recruiting tech solutions powered by artificial intelligence training agents (agentic AI) that are helping to relieve pressure for frontline staff by better preparing them for high-stress situations — e.g., demanding customers or difficult team dynamics — through immersive, simulated role-play training. With this relief comes…
June 10, 2025 at 9:48 am
Retailers are spending more than ever to win repeat customers, but many are losing ground. As consumer expectations evolve, traditional loyalty strategies are falling short. Every year, the data gets more grim: 61 percent of consumers say they’re less loyal to brands than they were just a year ago; 77 percent of Gen Z shoppers…
June 10, 2025 at 9:12 am
After years of rapid developments in artificial intelligence technology and customer experience, we’re entering an era when companies can finally redesign their digital interactions to be truly intuitive and transparent. Based on a recent report with observational data from design teams around the world, the most innovative brands will use natural language and zero user…
June 9, 2025 at 9:54 pm
In episode 483 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chandhu Nair, senior vice president of data, artificial intelligence and innovation at Lowe's. Listen in as Nair provides an overview of the home improvement retailer's new Mylow AI assistant (1:35), how it fits into its business model (3:20), and how shoppers as well as…
June 4, 2025 at 8:39 pm
In this episode of Total Retail Tech Insights, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Rony Vexelman, vice president of marketing at Optimove, the global leader in Positionless Marketing. Listen in as Vexelman provides an overview of the Optimove business (1:05) and discusses the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in retail marketing (2:42), as revealed in the…
June 4, 2025 at 9:57 am
Originally coined by Chris Messina (inventor of the #hashtag) back in 2015, conversational commerce marries text messaging with e-commerce, empowering retailers to better manage the entire customer journey, from origination and customer service, all the way to checkout. Brands are tapping this trend by integrating real-time messaging throughout various parts of the customer journey. Essentially,…
June 4, 2025 at 8:55 am
Artificial intelligence has transformed retail by allowing retailers to make the most of predictive analytics and automation. Generative AI, in particular, helps retailers develop personalized content and automated customer engagement. And now, agentic AI is poised to upend e-commerce via automated merchandising, competitive analysis, and even shopping assistants. But is all this technology evolution simply…
