Artificial Intelligence

New York – IBM Inc. has introduced new software and services to help organizations use Big Data and Analytics to address fraud and financial crimes. IBM launched its “Smarter counter fraud” initiative, drawing on the expertise and innovation from more than 500 fraud consulting experts, 290 fraud-related research patents and IBM’s Big Data and analytics software and services capabilities.

Gigwalk, a leading provider of crowdsourced solutions to retailers and CPG companies, just surpassed the 500,000th member of its mobile workforce and celebrated the occasion by securing an additional $10 million in funding.

With technology continuing to reshape the store experience, global retail real estate leader Simon Property Group is upping its digital game with the creation of a new venture capital group.

The company, which owns or has an interest in 325 retail properties encompassing 243 million square feet, has created Simon Ventures Group for the purpose of investing in retail innovation focused on opportunities that enhance the shopping experience.

By Dave Richards, Accenture

We shop almost every day – picking something up at the drug store or buying lunch, clothes shopping or getting groceries, looking for a gift or checking out a promotion – and we are doing this on the way to work, at work, at night while watching TV, online, at a store and increasingly across mobile devices. There is one thing that unites consumers in all of these instances: we expect the experience to be unified, personalized, constant, connected and, above all, seamless.
 

Woonsocket, R.I. -- CVS/pharmacy now provides ScripTalk talking prescription labels for prescriptions ordered for home delivery through its online pharmacy, CVS.com. The ScripTalk labels provide a way to access information on prescription labels for individuals who cannot read standard print.

The ScripTalk labels are free to CVS.com pharmacy customers who are blind or visually impaired. Customers can also obtain a free ScripTalk reader from Envision America that will enable them to listen to the information on the ScripTalk label.

Seattle – WhitePages is rolling out the WhitePages Pro Identity Score product, which is designed to help business users quickly validate customer identities to accelerate their order flow, as well as detect fake identities that warrant flagging the transaction. WhitePages Pro provides business users with access to a database of consumer contact information.

Cincinnati -- Intelligrated is releasing new RTS Trak3 cL pick-to-light hardware from its subsidiary company, Knighted. The new pick-to-light system enables maximum picking and putting accuracy and efficiency in high-velocity, high-SKU omni-channel and e-commerce fulfillment environments.

New York -- Kohl's Department Stores was honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce emissions linked to climate change. The retailer was recognized with EPA’s Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement) Award for reducing carbon emissions by improving the energy efficiency in its stores and buying renewable energy and installing solar panels.

The worlds of technology and fashion continue to merge with the most recent example involving the Fossil Group’s involvement with Google for a new line called Android Wear.

Fossil Group, the $3.3 billion global fashion accessories company, said it was working with Google to support the extension of Android technology in wearable products branded as Android Wear. As part of the launch, Google also released a developer preview of Android Wear so that developers are better able to build rich wearable experiences for their existing Android apps.

Milwaukee – Roundy’s Supermarkets has selected Symphony EYC Customer Insights behavioral insights platform and expertise to enable customer-centric business processes. With Symphony EYC, Roundy's will gain and leverage consumer insights to optimize product selection, customer communication and other critical functions across all Roundy's grocery stores and pharmacies throughout the Midwest.