Currys has chosen to use Microsoft and Accenture as its AI solutions provider in order to enhance operations, customer experiences, and the experiences of its 25,000 workers.
The international omnichannel technology products and services retailer, Currys, will be able to utilise Microsoft AI technologies, such as Azure OpenAI Service.
Microsoft and Accenture, alongside their joint venture with Avanade, are reportedly planning to work closely with Currys to bring its technology estate up to date.
Alex Baldock, Group CEO at Currys plc, commented on its new technological partnership: “AI is the biggest technological leap of our lifetime.
Currys exists to help everyone enjoy amazing technology, so as well as bringing the benefits of AI to millions of customers, we’ll do the same to our own business.
“We couldn’t have better partners for this, and together we aim to put Currys at the forefront of digital transformation in retail.
“We’re just starting out here, but the possibilities are vast. I’m looking forward to unlocking big benefits for our colleagues, customers and shareholders.”
Benefits of Microsoft AI
According to the tech giant Microsoft, Currys will be able to benefit from simplified customer shopping experiences using personalised product information and suggestions that are specifically tailored to the customer’s needs.
By giving Currys customers greater post-sales communications and warranty services, it is also helping to increase customer loyalty.
Workers at Currys will gain more accessible information about product availability, add-on services, and delivery costs, as well as highlighting possible selling opportunities.
AI will drive growth and profitability across core business functions by helping with marketing, finance, HR, and legal processes.
Currys will also attempt to use AI to enhance its omnichannel experiences, Microsoft has said.
A further benefit is that by moving nine data centres with over 2000 servers and 200 applications onto Azure, Currys will be creating a more energy-efficient infrastructure that will help it to meet its target of net zero emissions by 2024.
Ralph Haupter, President of EMEA at Microsoft, said: “AI is rapidly unlocking new opportunities for every organisation and every industry around the world.
By deploying the latest cloud and AI technologies, Currys can enhance the shopping experience for millions of customers, both in-store and online, whilst ensuring its 25,000 employees have the insights at their fingertips to unlock value across the entire business.
The big news when it comes to AI in Microsoft recently is that it is said to be building a major new AI model to rival OpenAI and Google.
As first reported by The Information, Microsoft is developing an in-house AI language model internally known as MAI-1.
Sources said that MAI-1 will be overseen by the recently hired Mustafa Suleyman, the Google DeepMind co-founder and former CEO of AI startup Inflection, who is now Microsoft AI CEO.
Microsoft entered into another AI partnership with a major retailer in the form of Coca-Cola. Microsoft and the Coca-Cola Company announced a five-year strategic partnership last month aimed at “jointly experimenting with groundbreaking new technology.”
The deal will include a $1.1 billion commitment to Microsoft Cloud and its generative AI (GenAI) capabilities as the two companies look to combine their resources to create GenAI use cases across a range of business functions.
