Artificial Intelligence

Arlington, Va. -- Data-driven energy management systems provider GridPoint announced that Boddie-Noell Enterprises, the largest Hardee’s franchise operator in the United States, has deployed GridPoint’s state-of-the-art solution at a majority of its 334 restaurants, with plans to deploy to the remaining sites in 2015 and beyond.

Baltimore - Under Armour has opened its first-ever digital headquarters, in downtown Austin, Texas. The 35,000-plus-sq.-ft. “Connected Fitness” center employs more than 100 engineers, data scientists, designers, and product innovators in digital health, fitness, and sports, and is expected to grow substantially by the end of the year. It is the sporting goods company’s facility solely dedicated to digital innovation.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. laid off 1,700 mostly headquarters employees on Tuesday and is eliminating 1,400 open positions. According to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Target notified employees of the workforce reduction in an email.

The cuts are part of a two-year, $2 billion corporate restructuring. Roughly 13% of the jobs in Target’s Minneapolis workforce will be eliminated, the report noted.

Just in time for bikini season, Lands’ End is introducing a new digital tool to solve the most vexing seasonal dilemma for many women: finding the perfect swimsuit.

The Lands' End Swim Finder is an online tool that helps women select the perfect swimsuit. The tool was created to provide a professional swimsuit fitting consultation virtually, in the comfort and privacy of one's home.

San Francisco -- Apple on Monday announced that the Apple Watch will be available starting April 24, to customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and Japan. For shoppers who can’t wait that long, the device will be available for preview, try-on and preorder starting April 10.

Pricing and launch details about the highly anticipated Apple Watch were released on Monday and calling the device a watch hardly makes sense.

Aside from being worn on the wrist and offering users the ability to tell time, the Apple Watch represents a new generation of wearable technology that promises to create new challenges and opportunities for retailers who now have another screen to consider.

San Jose, Calif. – PayPal has reportedly purchased CyActive, an Israel-based provider of predictive cybersecurity technology, for $60 million. According to Israeli media outlet Globes, CyActive uses an algorithm based on biology to forecast cyberthreats.

Former Safeway executive Keith Colbourn has joined Coupons.com in a new retail oriented role focused on targeting and analytics.