Synthetic intelligence is quickly changing into the cornerstone of innovation within the retail and shopper packaged items (CPG) industries.
Ahead-thinking firms are utilizing AI to reimagine their complete enterprise fashions, from in-store experiences to omnichannel digital platforms, together with ecommerce, cellular and social channels. This technological wave is concurrently remodeling promoting and advertising, buyer engagement and provide chain operations. By harnessing AI, retailers and CPG manufacturers aren’t simply adapting to vary — they’re actively shaping the way forward for commerce.
NVIDIA’s second annual “State of AI in Retail and CPG” survey offers insights into the adoption, funding and affect of AI, together with generative AI; the highest use instances and challenges; and a particular part this yr inspecting using AI within the provide chain. It’s an in-depth have a look at the present ecosystem of AI in retail and CPG, and the way it’s remodeling the industries.
Drawn from lots of of responses from trade professionals, key highlights of the survey present:
- 89% of respondents mentioned they’re both actively utilizing AI of their operations or assessing AI tasks, together with trials and pilots (up from 82% in 2023)
- 87% mentioned AI had a constructive affect on rising annual income
- 94% mentioned AI has helped cut back annual operational prices
- 97% mentioned spending on AI would enhance within the subsequent fiscal yr
Generative AI in Retail Takes Middle Stage
Generative AI has discovered a robust foothold in retail and CPG, with over 80% of firms both utilizing or piloting tasks. Corporations are harnessing the know-how, particularly for content material technology in advertising and promoting, in addition to buyer evaluation and analytics.
In step with final yr’s survey, over 50% of outlets consider that generative AI is a strategic know-how that shall be a differentiator out there.
The highest use instances for generative AI in retail embrace:
- Content material technology for advertising (60%)
- Predictive analytics (44%)
- Customized advertising and promoting (42%)
- Buyer evaluation and segmentation (41%)
- Digital buying assistants or copilots (40%)
Whereas some issues about generative AI exist, particularly round knowledge privateness, safety and implementation prices, these issues haven’t dampened retailers’ enthusiasm, with 93% of respondents saying they nonetheless plan to extend generative AI funding subsequent yr.
AI Throughout the Retail Panorama
AI use instances have proliferated throughout almost each line of enterprise in retail, with over 50% of outlets utilizing AI in additional than six completely different use instances all through their operations.
In bodily shops, the highest three use instances are stock administration, analytics and insights, and adaptive promoting. For digital retail, they’re advertising and promoting content material creation, and hyperpersonalized suggestions. And within the again workplace, the highest use instances are buyer evaluation and predictive analytics.
AI has made a big affect in retail and CPG, with improved insights and decision-making (43%) and enhanced worker productiveness (42%) being listed as prime advantages amongst survey respondents.
The commonest AI problem retailers confronted in 2024 was a scarcity of straightforward to know and explainable AI instruments, underscoring a higher want for software program and options — particularly round generative AI and AI brokers — to enter the market to make it simpler for firms to make use of AI options and perceive how they work.
AI within the Provide Chain
Managing the availability chain has all the time been a problem for retail and CPG firms, but it surely’s turn into more and more troublesome over the past a number of years on account of tumultuous international occasions and shifting shopper preferences. Corporations are feeling the strain, with 59% of respondents saying that their provide chain challenges have grown within the final yr.
More and more, firms are turning to AI to assist deal with these challenges, and the affect of those AI options is beginning to present up in outcomes.
- 58% mentioned AI helps to enhance operational effectivity and throughput.
- 45% are utilizing AI to cut back provide chain prices.
- 42% are using AI to satisfy shifting buyer expectations.
Funding in AI for provide chain administration is about to develop, with 82% of firms planning to extend spending within the subsequent fiscal yr.
Because the retail and CPG industries proceed to embrace the facility of AI, the findings from the newest survey underscore a pivotal shift in how companies function in a fancy new panorama. Main firms are harnessing superior applied sciences — similar to AI brokers and bodily AI — to boost effectivity and drive income, in addition to to place themselves as leaders in innovation, serving to redefine the way forward for retail and CPG.
Obtain the “State of AI in Retail and CPG: 2025 Tendencies” report for in-depth outcomes and insights.
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