Proactive Investors - J Sainsbury PLC (LON:SBRY) has penned a five-year deal with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into its supermarkets.
This will aim to improve store operations, aid staff to work more efficiently and create a more effective service, Sainsbury’s said on Friday.
“Our collaboration with Microsoft will accelerate our ambition to become the UK’s leading AI-enabled grocer,” Sainsbury’s chief technology officer, Clodagh Moriarty, commented.
Generative AI will be used to make the supermarket’s website more interactive, including through improved search capabilities, the supermarket noted.
Staff will also be provided with real-time data to help with the likes of restocking and customer queries, with this used in making business decisions on a larger scale.
The move comes after Sainsbury’s set a new target in February to save £1 billion over the coming three years.
According to Sainsbury’s, the use of AI would ensure sales opportunities weren’t missed, while also reducing the time to market for new services and innovations.
Microsoft UK chief executive Clare Barclay added: “Today, Sainsbury’s has laid out a bold vision that puts AI at the heart of its business, accelerating the development of new services, which will enhance and transform the customer and colleague experience.”