Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) was established as a research topic already in the 1950s, but more recent developments in data availability and computing power have enabled AI to grow from an academic topic to one that transforms business operations in ways that are likely to have a profound impact on both society and the economy in the future. In fact, many experts argue that AI will impact the world as profoundly as the invention of the personal computer, the internet, or the smartphone. Companies across all industries are beginning to reconceptualize their business processes and organizational structures for the age of AI. This is also true for the retail industry. In fact, many retailers have been on the forefront of digital transformation using advanced data and predictive analytics to make data-driven decisions. Through AI, retailers are now taking further steps into data-driven business processes and innovating new ways to blend digital and physical channels and touchpoints. In the following course note, we will provide a brief overview of the literature on AI in retail and introduce some key constructs related to AI.