Artificial Intelligence

Purchase, N.Y. - MasterCard will acquire cloud-based analytics provider Applied Predictive Technologies (APT) for $600 million.

APT’s Test & Learn platform enables users to apply analytics to design, measure and calibrate marketing, merchandising, operations and capital initiatives.

Chain Store Age recently had the chance to speak with noted consumer trend expert Faith Popcorn, founder and CEO of marketing consulting firm Faith Popcorn’s BrainReserve, about steps McDonald’s can take to reverse its struggling fortunes. Popcorn’s insights come on the heels of McDonald’s reporting a 33% year-over-year drop in profits for first quarter 2015.

Bigger Isn’t Always Better
According to Popcorn, McDonald’s vast size is not necessarily an asset anymore.

Glen Allen, Va. – Imagine being not only smart, but a billionaire as well. Smart mirrors are in this enviable position, according to a new study from industry analyst firm N-Tech Research.

Analytics leader SAS has long promised customers “the power to know” and now a major enhancement to data visualization capabilities means retailers don’t have to be a Ph.D to do things faster and more effectively with their massive volumes of data.

Scottsdale, Ariz. – JDA Software Group Inc. is releasing new capabilities in the JDA Transportation portfolio designed to help companies make smarter, more strategic shipping and delivery decisions. By balancing internal capacities and constraints with customer promises, this enhanced functionality supports higher levels of resiliency and agility

Round Rock, Texas – Retailers experienced substantial increases in POS malware attacks and also an increase in malware traffic contained within encrypted Web protocols. According to the Dell Annual Threat Report, which leverages research from Dell’s Global Response Intelligence Defense (GRID) network and telemetry data from Dell SonicWall network traffic, the Dell SonicWall Threat Research Team created 13 POS malware signatures in 2014.

Cupertino, Calif. – Tech geeks rejoice: the Apple Watch from Apple Inc. is here. From a retail perspective, the device Apple Inc. calls “our most personal device yet” offers new ways to engage consumers, who are obtaining new ways to stay digitally connected.

Seattle – If access to Amazon.com was not already ubiquitous enough for you, there is a new way to browse and purchase goods on the first major e-commerce platform. Amazon is releasing a new shopping app for the Apple Watch.