Yes there are still a lot of tech companies who put AI into their name in the hope that those two letters, in and of themselves, excite passers by.

And yes, there are a lot of tech companies who still add “powered by AI” to wherever their name appears, but then struggle to concisely explain how what they do is powered by AI.

But, dear reader, Shoptalk Europe felt like a bit of a turning point in retail from the AI perspective.

Because for the first time in a couple of years, I walked the expo floor and watched keynotes and panels at a major retail show, and I didn’t walk away feeling like I might implode if anyone else uttered the phrase: “AI will change everything”.

I went to a show called Shoptalk, and for the most part, listened to discussions about shops. Praise be!

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