We keep our ear to the ground for the interesting stats, insights and discussion points you need to feel in the know and shape the future with confidence.
1. Joy to the store
AI is ringing up a new era in retail, reshaping everything from the way we shop to the way warehouses run. With 76% of retail CEOs betting big on AI and 82% of consumers already tapping into it, the momentum is clear. Still, nearly half of shoppers find their next favorite product the old-fashioned way: in store. In a world chasing efficiency, the human touch remains retail’s most meaningful differentiator. After all, no algorithm can replace true connection.
Future of retail: Humans or AI?
2. Unwrapping the future of marketing
Marketing just flipped the script. For years, success meant showing up in search results. We obsessed over keywords, optimized pages, and followed the SEO rulebook. But those rules are gone. Today, discovery is powered by AI systems that don’t just rank, they reason. They interpret, summarize, and decide who to trust. Visibility now depends on clarity, credibility, and context. That’s where Answer Search Optimization (ASO) comes in. If SEO was about pleasing algorithms, ASO is about helping intelligent systems understand your content clearly. It means structuring content plainly, keeping facts consistent, and building trust signals so intelligent systems can represent you accurately. Why does this matter? Because AI-driven search is personal, contextual, and dynamic. Two customers in different cities might see completely different answers, not because of keywords, but because models know what’s relevant locally. In this new world, being found isn’t enough… you have to be chosen.
What happens when machines decide who shows up?
3. ‘Tis the season to scale
If you still think artificial intelligence is just a fancy way to trim budgets, you’re missing the point. AI isn’t about doing the same work for less; it’s about doing work that was never possible before. Imagine digital colleagues crunching data at a scale no human team could touch, spotting patterns you never knew existed, and opening doors to markets once out of reach. The businesses that thrive will not be the ones that save the most pennies. They will be the ones bold enough to turn AI into a true growth engine.
Beyond cost cutting: AI as the ultimate growth engine
4. Deck the halls with managed services
Business transformation isn’t new but the challenges today are unlike anything we’ve seen. The pace? Relentless. Technology? Quickly evolving. And leaders? Under more pressure than ever. Old solutions just don’t cut it anymore. Many big projects fail, not because leaders don’t try, but because of hidden problems: old systems that don’t talk to each other, teams stuck in silos, and short-term thinking. The solution isn’t another quick patch. It’s a smarter way to connect everything. People, data, and processes, so the business runs as one. That’s what managed services do. Think of it like upgrading from a bunch of separate tools to one powerful system that helps you move faster and smarter. Managed services give companies access to the right tech, talent, and data without huge upfront costs…
5. Frost-free banking
Banks spend billions trying to simplify but most end up more complicated. Why does simplicity stay out of reach? Part of the problem is human nature. When something isn’t working, we tend to add more, another process, another system, because complexity feels safe and smart. In banking, where risk is high, that instinct is amplified. Another challenge is visibility. Many banks don’t have a clear, end-to-end view of how their business really works. Without that big picture, cutting complexity becomes guesswork. And then there’s the hidden cost. Complexity slows projects, drives up expenses, frustrates teams, and creates inconsistent customer experiences. This is how banks can get this right…