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In a world where digital strides are continuously redefining the norms, the echo of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution resonates significantly within the retail sector. For small to medium retailers, embracing AI is no longer a futuristic contemplation but a present-day imperative to stay competitive and relevant. From regional grocers, convenience store chains to quick serve restaurants, the utilization of AI is a gateway to enhanced operational efficiency, personalized customer experiences, and insightful data-driven decision-making. This post unveils why ignoring the AI wave could be a missed opportunity for SMRs and how harnessing its potential is a pragmatic step toward sustainable growth and heightened customer satisfaction. Through real-world implications, it's a discourse urging SMRs to innovate, evolve, and ride the AI wave toward a promising horizon.

Shawn's guest for this conversation is Luis Vera, Chairman & CEO of Zippedi for a discussion about how robotics are reinventing retail.

The quest to create thinking machines dates back to the 1950s, when scientists like Alan Turing began theorizing concepts foundational to modern AI. Major breakthroughs like deep learning in 2012 allowed AI systems to become exponentially more capable. This led to large neural network models called foundation models that have taken AI to new heights in the past year. Systems today demonstrate proficiency at an expanding range of tasks once thought uniquely human.