Byte-Sized AI is a bi-weekly column that covers all things artificial intelligence—from startup funding, to newly inked partnerships, to just-launched, AI-powered capabilities from major retailers, software providers and supply chain players.
Klarna adds more features to its AI chatbot
Payments and technology company Klarna announced in September that it had expanded the capabilities of its OpenAI-powered chatbot.
Consumers can now use the generative AI-powered tool to search for products with certain specifications, like vegan leather pants highly rated by customers; it can also tailor recommendations to consumers’ personal styles—for instance, if a user repeatedly purchases colorful sneakers rather than all-white ones, the chatbot can take that into account when sharing recommendations. It’s also able to compare pricing, and generate pros, cons and summaries of each product.
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Klarna noted that users will be able to search more than 5.6 million products from thousands of brands and retailers. The company has been far from shy about its aspirations for AI as a tool, both for its customers and internal employees. In May, Klarna said nine in 10 employees use AI every day in their work; it previously shared insights around marketing spend savings and cutting ties with third-party customer service call centers due to AI’s impact on its business.
David Fock, chief product & design officer at Klarna said the time was right for Klarna to entrench itself deeper in consumer-facing AI.
“For decades, the tech industry assumed that the online shopping experience was tied up by a small number of massive tech players, which led to under-investment. That’s created an opportunity for companies like Klarna and we are enlisting AI to challenge the incumbents,” Fock said in a statement.
Dick’s Sporting Goods expands Inspectorio partnership
Inspectorio announced Tuesday that existing client Dick’s Sporting Goods would use the software company’s technology as its traceability platform throughout the business and product lines.
Dick’s had used Inspectorio’s Responsible Sourcing and Inspection platform for more than three years, but has now agreed to use the technology company’s Traceability and Transparency, Production Monitoring and Lab Testing capabilities.
According to Inspectorio, expanding its partnership with Dick’s means the retailer will be able to interconnect sourcing and traceability data; automate processes like audit management; centralize data about lab testing results from multiple orders and more.
Dick’s is not the only client that has recently broadened its partnership with Inspectorio; late last month, Centric Brands, which holds the licenses to brands like Joe’s Jeans, Favorite Daughter and Izod, announced that it had done the same.
Antonio Leon de la Barra, vice president of strategy, growth and innovation at Inspectorio, said Dick’s and other clients will continue to benefit from the company’s evolving technology solutions.
“The Inspectorio platform weaves traceability and responsible sourcing into broader sourcing operations unlike any other provider on the market,” he said in a statement. “We’re extremely proud to partner with Dick’s Sporting Goods to implement our platform’s wealth of capabilities across the brand’s extensive range of product categories.”
Lectra partners with Six Atomic
Software company Lectra announced in September it had partnered with Six Atomic, a company that uses AI and automation to streamline the product development processes in fashion and apparel. Lectra acquired a minority stake of around 18 percent in Six Atomic, with the option to increase that stake as time goes on. Lectra paid $2.5 million for the stake it now owns.
Maximilien Abadie, chief strategy and chief product officer at Lectra, said the partnership will increase the company’s capacity to aid companies in one of its three major sectors.
“Six Atomic is an innovative company that combines artificial intelligence expertise with a deep understanding of fashion design and product development processes,” Abadie said in a statement. “The teams at Six Atomic and Lectra will work together on developing technological innovation for fashion companies.”
Six Atomic’s AI technology helps designers create data-driven pattern libraries, complete quick-turnaround pattern grading, make solid 3D renderings and more, which in turn decreases the amount of time needed to develop products.
Taime Koe and Marc Close, co-founders of Six Atomic, said Lectra’s investment and partnership will help advance the development of its technology.
“We are delighted to partner with Lectra, a key player in the fashion industry that aligns with our vision for product development in the Industry 4.0 era,” Koe and Close said in a statement. “Lectra’s experience, global presence, and customer base will enable us to accelerate the time-to market of our solutions.”
Fytted announces Virtual Fitting Room
Technology company Fytted announced late last month that it had expanded its offerings to bring a new consumer tool, which it calls the Virtual Fitting Room, to market.
Consumers can use their own image—which is analyzed by AI to determine precise measurements—to digitally see how garments from various brands and retailers would fit their bodies. The tool uses Fytted’s existing fit technology to recommend specific sizes for the customer, then show them how it would look. While the tool first and foremost focuses on fit, Olivia Dicopoulos, Fytted’s chief customer officer said it can also ensure customers feel excited about the color of a garment and how it might fit into their personal style and wardrobe.
According to a release, Fytted has already made this possible for over 1 million items from brands like Nike, Free People, Lululemon and J. Crew.
Greg Auerbach, CEO of Fytted, said the new capability bridges the gap customers may have otherwise faced between in-store shopping and online shopping.
“We’ve made it simple for users to browse clothing, try them on, check out the look and find their perfect fit in one convenient place, merging the benefits of both online and in-person try-on shopping into one easy-to-use app,” Auerbach said in a statement.
The solution is expected to decrease the rate of returns for participating retailers, and to encourage repeat shopping and brand loyalty.
