Dive Brief:
- Relex Solutions is adding an AI tool to its offerings, creating an easier way for customers to access information about the company’s products and help teams work together more smoothly, according to a press release.
- The supply chain and retail optimization company is using the AI models that built ChatGPT to create Relex-GPT, a focused and secure AI program with access to Relex’s entire knowledge base.
- With Relex-GPT, users can get quick answers to complicated questions, as well as receive summaries of information from the database and aggregate data, all on their own timeline.
Dive Insight:
With time at a premium as labor pressures continue across the c-store industry, Relex-GPT aims to make daily operations even more efficient for retailers. Relex estimates that proper deployment of AI tools can offer an average productivity improvement of 40%.
“Our early adopters have witnessed increased productivity, a reduction in mundane tasks and the ability to focus on more meaningful and strategic work,” said Tommi Vilkamo, director of Relex Labs at Relex Solutions.
Relex has put the tool out to online users in a beta test. As the company gets more feedback on how well Relex-GPT works, it plans to integrate the tool further into its ecosystem.
“Utilizing Relex-GTP has proven to be a valuable time-saving resource, particularly when seeking information that is not required on a daily basis,” said Roel de Vos at the PLUS Retail chain of co-operative supermarkets in the Netherlands.
While some retailers may be wary of stepping into the new world of AI, Relex pointed out that it works hard to stay on the cutting edge while reducing risk as much as possible.
“We aimed to establish controls and balances to mitigate the risks by evaluating each AI tool from security, privacy, and legal perspectives,” said Terhi Rekilä, senior legal counsel and governance and regulatory risk manager at Relex Solutions. “This way, it’s possible to reap the benefits of AI, avoid the business risks such as getting left behind by early-adopters, and mitigate potential threats. It’s not risk-free to use AI, but no business is risk-free.”
Atlanta-based Relex works with players in a variety of retail arenas, including major convenience retailers, such as 7-Eleven, Kwik Trip, Casey’s and Circle K. Its suite of tools is intended to help companies improve sales and customer experience while reducing waste.
