Retail stories
Enterprises may gain safer, more portable AI deployments as Google Cloud adds an open knowledge standard, Apple privacy work and Claude availability.
Businesses can now query BigQuery in plain English, with Google adding audit trails, access controls and scheduled AI analyses.
The deal lifts Financeit's annual loan funding capacity to about C$2.5 billion as it seeks to expand home improvement lending.
The hire signals Bir's push to expand online retail in Azerbaijan, where eCommerce still makes up about 3% of sales.
Small firms can now gauge whether weak margins, slow payments or rising costs are sector-wide or company-specific using Xero's new peer data tool.
Retailers are turning to specialist search tools as the category grows, with Gartner valuing the market at USD $17.41 billion in 2025.
Brands using commerce media networks could get more precise targeting and personalised ads as first-party purchase data is linked to Adobe tools.
Enterprises can now trace hidden AI components in code to meet growing audit and compliance demands as production use outpaces governance.
Retailers risk losing disabled customers as 87% still cannot complete a typical shopping journey independently, a report finds.
The tie-up could speed customer service automation for regulated sectors, with first joint deals already closed and roll-outs due in weeks.
Azure customers will soon be able to buy and run Commvault's recovery tools inside Microsoft's cloud, simplifying cyber resilience and procurement.
Rewards are now swaying 91% of US shoppers to buy again, with Amazon Prime, Walmart+ and Starbucks Rewards topping loyalty rankings.
Trust remains thin for AI-led shopping, with most UK adults saying they would reject systems that handle spending or payment data.
Clients seeking fewer vendors may now get workforce, technology and risk support from one provider as AI deployments scale beyond pilots.
The deal aims to cut admin for Bakers Delight franchisees and link payments with Microsoft Dynamics 365 across more than 500 Australian stores.
Retailers now face daily trading risk as PCI DSS 4.0 turns payment compliance into a continuous operational requirement, not an annual audit.
Younger consumers are shaping retail deal days, with Gen Z and Millennials far more likely than Boomers to use AI tools and spend more.
Nearly six in ten Londoners have seen more scam attempts in the past year, with social media fraud and AI-made ruses fuelling concern.
Customers could soon verify their age, address and identity through banking apps, as lenders test a voluntary check-sharing service to curb fraud.
Insolvencies in the industry are now more than three times the national average, as diesel, landfill levies and debt costs squeeze margins.
