Over 40% of retailers believe that the talent gap is a major barrier to adopting AI. Investing in talent and training can reduce AI integration obstacles. Retailers need to collaborate with universities to establish AI research centers. Integrating generative AI requires investments in high-performance computing and algorithm research.

Japan's 7-11 will begin utilizing generative AI technology in spring 2024 to generate text and image descriptions of new products based on store sales data and consumer feedback from social media. The company estimates this will reduce product planning time by up to 90%, making product distribution more aligned with emerging trends and customer demands. The system will integrate generative AI technologies from companies such as OpenAI, Google, and Stability AI to process data from customers, manufacturers, and social media. 7-11 expects AI to generate proposal drafts for new products, simplifying the current process.