Retail stories
Rising fraud, shipping costs and AI-driven shopping are set to squeeze retailers' margins this holiday season unless customer data improves.
The wellness brand has cut technology costs by 45% after replacing disconnected systems with a single cloud platform across finance and supply chain.
Adoption is stalling where firms lack clean data, strong workflows and guardrails, raising risks in retail, healthcare and IT.
Boards are demanding clearer strategy and proof of savings as manufacturers and retailers move AI from pilots into core operations.
Boards are being urged to fix data quality, fraud controls and infrastructure before AI adoption numbers start to matter.
The move signals Adyen's push to deepen local ties in Asia-Pacific as payment providers compete for merchants across the region.
Consumers in Australia and New Zealand are facing longer waits and repeated handovers as companies rush to deploy agentic AI, Genesys found.
Asia Pacific retailers, travel firms and hotels face a 63% rise in bot attacks as AI tools and APIs widen exposure to fraud and disruption.
Marketers are under pressure to prove returns sooner, driving demand for tools that test ad spending before budgets are committed.
New Zealand retailers may need to rethink payday-driven sales as 40% of employed workers now draw income from multiple sources, Afterpay found.
More than 35,000 Australian businesses now face heightened failure risk as ATO debts above AUD $100,000 coincide with rising defaults.
Governance is lagging as Australian finance chiefs race to deploy AI agents, with many under pressure to prove ROI and explain errors.
Heat-driven demand has lifted cooling appliance sales 382% year on year, as rival sites report stock shortages and buyers seek fast delivery.
Rising AI and governance demands are leaving many senior data executives overstretched, with 40% saying they are close to burnout.
Price and convenience still shape Australian grocery baskets, despite nearly half of shoppers saying local suppliers matter most.
Critical infrastructure and healthcare lag peers on basic cyber controls, leaving essential services more exposed than financial firms and technology groups.
Retailers under margin pressure can now test staffing and opening-hours decisions before budgets are set, using Logile's new simulator.
The centre is aimed at helping consumer firms turn AI pilots into operational tools for retail, travel and supply-chain tasks.
The move gives Altimetrik a role in shaping enterprise AI standards as firms struggle to embed new systems into legacy operations.
Indian firms and schools face a widening AI skills gap as leaders warn of productivity gains, job disruption and ethical risks.
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