South Africa, July 31 -- From predicting stock needs and personalising customer journeys to freeing up in-store teams from repetitive admin, AI isn't just making retail more efficient. Surprisingly to some, it's making it more human.

"Retail has always been about people. Meeting their needs, building loyalty and creating a connection," says Jeane van Greunen, chief client officer at Helm. "What AI allows us to do is add that personal touch at scale, with more accuracy, efficiency and empathy."

When people think of AI in retail, they often imagine robots, self-checkouts, or talking screens. But some of the most powerful innovations are happening behind the scenes. A key area that's benefiting is inventory management. Thanks to machine le...