How ‘Pacesetters’ are using AI to move the customer experience forward

First, there was the brick-and-mortar store, then came online shopping, and now the sky seems to be the limit for retail experiences as brands find new ways to use AI to create innovative customer experiences. At the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York on Thursday, executives from Fast Company‘s newly launched Pacesetters list shared how their companies are using AI to move the customer experience—and their companies—forward. Fran Bell, EVP and chief technology officer at The Home Depot, and Eugene Nikolavsky, chief information officer of North America at Stellantis, were both named two of the 40 Pacesetters—which recognizes executives who are using AI in innovative ways for business. For both Bell and Nikolavsky, AI is not just about optimizing workflows, but also reimagining the way customers can interact with their respective businesses. At The Home Depot, Bell identifies her customers as belonging in two main buckets: professionals and DIYers. But their experience is unified by a shared need for home supplies, inspiring the creation of the brand’s Magic Apron generative AI shopping assistant and project guide. According to Bell, using AI in favor of customers means of…