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.
DHL adopts generative AI internally
Supply chain and logistics company DHL announced late last month that it has started using generative AI to aid its own employees with a variety of tasks. The company partnered with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) on the project.
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DHL now uses generative AI to clean data shared by prospective customers to streamline the process of identifying and meeting the logistics needs of each individual client. A release from the company noted that using AI to clean data upgrades the effectiveness of engineers’ plans for a client and stated that the system would decrease time to market. The company did not disclose how much time it expects to save per project with the new system in place.
In addition to the data-cleaning function, DHL has begun using a generative AI system to help its sales team create highly personalized proposals to potential customers, using the information they disclose. The company noted that it expects this to give sales employees the opportunity to discuss and address customers’ problems and needs more directly.
The last generative AI implementation the company shared was for its legal and customer support departments. The teams can now use the technology to summarize documents and assist with customers’ questions.
DHL’s implementation follows a more general trend in the retail, logistics and supply chain industries: working to use AI to streamline repetitive tasks.
Sally Miller, DHL Supply Chain’s global chief information officer, said the technology works to add value to employees’ day-to-day work while also benefiting customers.
“These AI-driven tools are not just technological novelties, but practical applications aimed at transforming key business processes,” Miller said in a statement. “It is crucial to note that our AI applications are focused on enhancing our analytics capabilities to provide deeper insights and unlock greater value for our customers. These initiatives underscore our commitment to being even more customer-centric, enabling us to better serve our customers and meet their needs with greater precision and efficiency, by using cutting-edge technology.”
Walmart preps for the holidays with AI systems
Walmart has released a variety of AI-powered tools to upgrade the customer experience over the course of the past several months. Now, it plans to put those systems to work as consumers flock to its site in search of gifts for the holiday season.
According to a blog from the company, its AI-powered product recommendation tool will predict what a consumer might be inclined to see when they visit Walmart’s site; for instance, “if a customer previously searched for board games, they may be shown deals, new game releases or gift ideas.” Walmart said that tool will only get sharper in 2025. Shoppers can also use Walmart’s chatbot, currently in beta mode, to ask about gifts for specific friends and family members on their shopping lists.
The company also added that 12 million households throughout the United States will gain access to expanded delivery coverage throughout this holiday season. That, it said, is attributable to an AI-powered geospatial system that compiles data about the location of stores, transactions, customers and more that can create ideal delivery zones for individual stores based on availability of employees, how long deliveries would take and stores’ inventory, rather than only on mileage radius from a store.
Seel and GoodwillFinds expand their returns partnership
Returns and customer service have consistently been a pain point for brands, retailers, consumers and logistics providers alike—particularly during holiday season.
GoodwillFinds has broadened its partnership with AI-enabled returns partner Seel in an attempt to increase customer confidence and satisfaction, the two announced on Oct. 29. The two companies have collaborated since November 2023, when they began allowing GoodwillFinds buyers to return items that didn’t fit correctly or that had quality issues.
Consumer peace of mind may now be amplified by GoodwillFinds’ adoption of Seel’s “Worry-Free Purchase” program. According to the companies’ announcement, the technology allows consumers to return products for a variety of reasons. While the program covers a variety of the items GoodwillFinds offers, it does not protect jewelry, which GoodwillFinds lists on its site as a primary category.
That could assuage consumers’ fears over purchasing a pre-used item that they aren’t fully sure of, said Jim Davis, chief revenue officer of GoodwillFinds.
“There is an inherent risk in online shopping that has long been difficult to solve for,” Davis said in a statement. “Our initial partnership with Seel was instrumental in enhancing the customer experience and giving us a competitive edge in the resale market. Now by offering an integrated post-purchase program, we take another step toward streamlining the GoodwillFinds shopping experience.”
The Worry-Free Purchase program also ensures consumers receive compensation for delays or purchases that are lost in the mail. If a domestic package doesn’t arrive within 10 days of being shipped, the consumer receives $5 worth of compensation; if the package never makes it to the shopper’s doorstep, they receive a full refund. The policy also covers some instances of porch piracy, which has been known to spike during the holiday season.
Mo Chen, chief technology officer of Seel, said, when it comes to resale, providing this service helps put GoodwillFinds ahead.
“At Seel, we use a proprietary AI algorithm and data-driven insights to offer a superior worry-free shopping experience for consumers that is also easy and affordable for retailers,” Chen said in a statement. “Worry-Free Purchase seamlessly integrates with GoodwillFinds to offer something that today’s consumers crave: simple and worry-free shopping.
