IOT
“ We ’ ve already changed our water displays based on how much we ’ ve sold this week , for example ,” Adam notes .
There are already 160 third-party locations using the technology – a figure that has doubled from last year , according to Steve .
“ It ’ s growing and building momentum , so the rate of store openings is much higher than previously and that continues to take place ,” he says . “ We now see customers opening multiple stores in a single location and that ’ s going to increase here as well .”
Humans and AI : The future of retail The role of people amid AI ’ s rapid development has been subject to much conversation . However , as far as The O2 is concerned , its staff aren ’ t going anywhere .
Despite increased use of AI and data , the human element remains in this retail environment . For instance , when it comes to age-restricted products , the O2 Arena still has staff in place to enforce the ‘ Challenge 25 ’ drinking policy in the UK .
“ We have a human element to some of the ways that products have to leave the store . For certain shows here , you can ’ t have the bottle tops on ,” Adam explains . “ Staff will ‘ Challenge 25 ’ on entrance and then remove bottle tops upon exit .”
When Technology Magazine asked if the human element would remain crucial to future stores , Adam explained : “ There will always be a human element to the way this technology gets deployed and the way that your experience in a venue like The O2 works .
“ It ’ s about adapting the need for that human and what they do and their role within the overall store ”
ADAM PEARSON COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR , AEG ( THE O2 )
“ Exactly what that human role is and how it evolves and develops depending upon how the technology gets used , might adapt , but it ’ s not about removing the human from the overall process . It ’ s about adapting the need for that human and what they do and their role within the overall store . It also allows us to free up labour elsewhere within the building .”
Given that The O2 hosts between 200 and 220 shows a year , it enables the venue to collect a significant amount of data on its customers . “ The beauty of having this technology , in addition to all of the data that we have , is that we can cater our offering perfectly to an audience based on what we know that they ’ re going to want ,” Adam says .
“ Where we ’ ve just literally opened the Just Walk Out store , we ’ ve already made changes to the product offering , including the pricing and screen use . As a result , we ’ re able to iterate and adapt as we go , which is great for the customer because they get the product they want and they get it faster .”
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