Byte-Sized AI: JD Sports Amps Search; Circularity Continues to Show Up in AI Systems

Meghan Hall
·5 min read

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.

JD Sports links with Algolia for AI search

JD Sports announced earlier this month that it’s the latest in a slew of retailers vying to use AI-powered search to up its business outcomes. To do so, it has partnered with Algolia, the search-as-a-service platform that also works with Shoe Carnival, Everlane, Gymshark and more.

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JD will employ Algolia’s API-first solution, which the companies said should give JD a composable strategy approach, meaning that it can add in—or take out—specific search-related features as it needs them.

The company expects consumers to receive more personalized recommendations, search results that more closely match their natural queries and a more efficient online shopping experience as they peruse brands like The North Face, Nike, Adidas and New Balance on JD’s site.

Arianne Parisi, JD Sports’ chief digital officer, said the technology integration will give customers a more consistent experience across all the ways they can shop with the retailer.

“By leveraging Algolia’s cutting-edge AI technology, we aim to provide our customers with a seamless and personalized shopping experience, whether they engage with us online, in one of our 3,400+ stores or through other channels,” Parisi said in a statement.

That enhancement could come at a critical time for JD, which reported last month that in 2023, online sales dropped by 7.6 percent, even as in-store sales grew by nearly 9 percent.

(Re)vive scores seed funding for AI-powered returns resale

New York-based startup (Re)vive, which uses AI to streamline returned or unusable inventory, shared late last month that it had raised $3.5 million in seed funding. Equal Ventures led the round with support from Equal Ventures, Hustle Fund, Banter Capital, Coalition Operators, Mute VC and more.

The company’s proprietary technology allows its team members to digitize and inspect returned products, then determines their resale value if repaired. From there, the company’s employees fix up any issues with brand-approved processes. For instance, if a sweater is missing a button, (Re)vive can sew a new one, issued by the brand, back onto the garment.

Once repairs have been finished, a brand can physically take back the goods to sell in stores or can have (Re)vive dropship e-commerce orders to new customers.

The startup plans to use the money to “further fuel growth and strengthen the (Re)vive platform to maximize and realize asset value of deadstock inventory for the retail industry,” according to a release.

Allison Lee, the company’s founder and CEO, said the opportunity to remove waste from supply chains and earn revenue from otherwise unsellable items could aid brands trying to meet ESG goals.

“Brands are grappling with mounting operational costs associated with processing, storing, and disposing returns, which can amount to as much as $15+ per item,” Lee said in a statement. “However, with a growing demand for sustainable fashion from consumers, we see a huge opportunity for future-minded brands to leverage their once-disposed, damaged product into a coveted item.”

Over the past year, the company has increased its revenue and the number of items it deals with by over 10 times.

Australian fashion group launches AI tool focused on circularity

Australian company Azura Fashion Group announced earlier this month it had launched a new AI-powered tool that aims to address product data for circularity.

The new tool has been integrated into what the group calls the Azura Transformer. The existing technology takes information about a product shared by a supplier and converts it into a product listing suitable for a consumer.

Now, the Azura Transformer will also support the company’s latest endeavor, which will allow it to facilitate resale on more than four dozen marketplaces. The tool can help create detailed product listings for an item, which can be automatically translated into 17 languages. The products are then featured on Azura Reborn, where unsold and pre-loved merchandise from a slew of brands, including designer brands, is sold.

Samuel Wood, CEO of Azura Fashion Group, said the company wants to remain an active participant in creating a more environmentally friendly industry, given fashion’s negative impacts annually.

“At Azura, we are committed to driving the fashion industry towards a more sustainable future through cutting-edge technology,” Wood said in a statement. “Our AI model not only addresses the inefficiencies in the supply chain but also empowers brands to embrace circularity, reducing waste and promoting responsible fashion consumption.”

Talkdesk upgrades retail agent solution

Technology company Talkdesk announced last week at the annual CommerceNext show in New York that it had juiced up its generative AI capabilities on the Talkdesk Retail Experience Cloud. The new enhancements leverage generative AI to tackle common customer questions and order issues, which in turn should streamline operations for brands and retailers using the technology.

One example of that is helping customers to isolate certain items in an order. This way, if they decide they need to change one small piece of a large order, they don’t need to cancel the entire order to do so. The upgrades also allow for 24/7 self-service customer support on questions around shipments, deliveries and order statuses.

Ed Durbin, vice president of retail strategy for the company, said its latest move will help brands keep up with the moving target that is the demands around consumer experience.

“Consumers’ customer service expectations are on the rise, especially in retail, so it’s critical for brands to deliver an AI-powered journey that ensures an excellent experience while driving retailers’ business outcomes. We are focused on giving retailers innovative AI capabilities that allow them to stay ahead of their own customers’ needs and drive brand loyalty and customer lifetime value, right out of the box, from day one.”