Are you a client?
Sign in to view the full news archive.
AI has quickly established itself as a key part of the technology stack for enterprises, with varied use cases spanning every industry. Each week we continue to see more example of how British businesses are turning to AI to drive operational efficiencies or enhance their customer experience. The latest such moves come from retailer JD Sports and airline operator British Airways.
JD Sports Fashion, part of retail group JD Sports, which operates online and across more than 970 stores in the U.K., has announced it is partnering with supply chain software supplier o9 to implemented AI in an effort to transform its assortment planning operation. JD Sports is looking to leverage o9’s AI-powered platform with the aim of becoming more data driven, automated, and agile. It will be implemented across JD Sports Fashion, Size?, and HIP brands.
“In today’s ever changing business environment, building an agile customer offering tailored to local needs, that is delivered with speed and efficiency, is critical to keeping a competitive edge,” says Wim van Aalst, Chief Supply Chain Officer, JD Sports Fashion.
Elsewhere, the FT reports that British Airways is also turning to AI to help significantly cut the number of cancellations and delays at the airline, which is fighting to restore its reputation following years of operational problems. Back in March, the airline unveiled a $7bn modernisation programme that will see hundreds of systems migrated to the cloud, and the deployment of AI and air to ground customer service. The airline previously said it would be investing £100m in machine learning, automation and AI across its operations.
In the first quarter, 86% of BA’s flights from Heathrow departed on time, according to data from the airline, which it said was its best performance on record. BA had been grappling with a rising number of disrupted flights since the end of the pandemic, particularly from its London hub at Heathrow airport.
The airlines new AI software includes a tool which calculates how to respond to disruption so that it affects the lowest number of customers possible, such as whether to delay a flight, or cancel it and rebook people on to the next plane. Other tools include a programme which proactively reroutes planes to avoid areas of poor weather, and another which crunches the onward travel plans of passengers to send aircraft to the most convenient stand at Heathrow airport.
Posted by: Simon Baxter at 09:31
Tags:
retail
transportation