When Amazon bought Whole Foods, everyone predicted Instacart’s collapse. Instead, the grocery industry spent years chasing the wrong infrastructure—and is now retreating from automation, robotics, and self-distribution. Instacart’s flexible, store-proximate model didn’t just survive; it became the design pattern grocers are returning to.
AI doesn’t fail queer and BIPOC people because of “bias.” It fails because it cannot interpret our identities with accuracy, context, or cultural truth. This essay reveals the mechanisms behind that harm and introduces a new architecture to prevent identity collapse in the age of autonomous AI.
Amazon doesn’t have a convenience problem.
it doesn’t have a speed problem.
It doesn’t have an assortment problem.
Amazon has a discernment problem.
This one was hard to write. Not because I’m mad. Because I still want the blanket.
For years, Target was the rare brand that made belonging feel casual. You’d walk in for toothpaste and walk out with a little affirmation tucked into your bag. Pride wasn’t seasonal — it was spatial. It lived in the aisles, woven into the colors, the tone, the quiet promise that this place sees you.
And then, 2023 happened. The backlash. The retreat. The silence.
When Target pulled its Pride collection, it didn’t just move product — it moved meaning. It told queer people what we’ve always half-suspected: our safety here was situational.
This isn’t about outrage. It’s about empathy debt — the emotional residue that builds when remorse never matures into reflection. You can’t pay it off with apologies. You pay it off with change.
For years, Nintendo has been the moral compass of interactive entertainment.
A company that taught the world that joy could be engineered, and that simplicity could feel transcendent.
They’ve spent decades proving that technology doesn’t have to exploit emotion to move people. It can honor it.
That’s why their recent stance on AI — a public commitment not to use it in game design — is so fascinating. Because in one sense, they’re right.
And in another, they’re missing their greatest opportunity yet.
I wrote AI, Craft & the Human Future of Retail because I’ve come to believe the real disruption of AI isn’t technical — it’s human. After years leading transformation work with Tredence and SymphonyAI, I watched automation accelerate faster than reflection, and intelligence scale faster than intention.
This paper is my attempt to restore that balance. It introduces The Knox AI Empathy System — a model and a mindset for designing organizations that think with care. It’s not about faster machines; it’s about wiser leaders.
Because in an age where intelligence is abundant, discernment has become the rarest skill of all.
A few weeks ago, OpenAI announced that users could now buy directly inside ChatGPT. No checkout page, no app handoff, no cart abandonment halfway through a funnel. Just a conversation, a suggestion, and a sale.
At first, it sounded like novelty — a new way to shop without leaving the chat. But beneath the surface, it marks something far deeper: the beginning of agentic commerce.
Every so often, a small technical change quietly rewires the foundation of how discovery happens online. It doesn’t come with a press release or a keynote. It slips beneath the radar—until the ripple hits.
Google made one of those moves.
As I prepare to leave SymphonyAI and step into a new chapter, I’ve been reflecting on these quiet moments and the lessons they hold. This past week, I’ve been deeply moved by the kind words of colleagues and clients who’ve shared how my work impacted their own. These conversations reminded me of something we often forget: we are far more exceptional than we give ourselves credit for.
The AIM Loyalty Framework (AI-Integrated Maturity) draws on the strengths of industry-leading models while addressing the unique needs of loyalty programs in retail, hospitality, finance, and beyond. It’s a tool designed to help businesses move beyond generic AI strategies and build programs that foster meaningful customer relationships, deliver measurable ROI, and set new standards for innovation.
AI is here, and it’s transforming industries in real-time. The MIT Technology Review's collaboration with Databricks laid out an insightful framework on how high-performance organizations are unlocking value with AI and cloud platforms. But recognizing trends isn't enough.
I recently had the privilege of attending a fascinating panel discussion hosted by Domino Data Lab, where industry leaders came together to share their thoughts on one of the most pressing topics in technology today: AI governance. A huge thank you to panelists Diya Wynn, Dr. Kjell Carlsson, Bill Hostmann, and Leila Nouri for their valuable insights and expertise.
AI is reshaping CSR initiatives in ways that benefit both business outcomes and society at large. This blog post explores why retailers must embrace AI-driven social responsibility and dives into five innovative AI applications that can drive impactful change.
This shift goes beyond a technological upgrade—it reflects a fundamental change in how businesses operate. AI-powered customer service solutions are no longer seen as experiments but as critical components of business strategy. As a result, investors are pouring significant funding into these tools, reinforcing the notion that this trend is here to stay rather than being a passing fad.
As the grocery industry faces increasing pressure to address sustainability concerns, Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers transformative potential. By leveraging AI to optimize operations, reduce spoilage, and make data-driven decisions, grocery retailers can substantially reduce food waste while improving profitability.
For grocery retailers to stay competitive, they need to redefine the roles of their buying teams. Buyers must evolve into strategic thinkers who use technology to inform complex decision-making. This requires overcoming resistance within the organization, a challenge that cannot be ignored.
Digital transformation is not just a technical overhaul; it is a fundamental shift in how organizations operate, innovate, and deliver value. While many view it as a technology-driven endeavor, the true force behind successful digital transformation is leadership. It’s leadership that sets the vision, drives cultural change, and ensures that an organization can adapt to the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
While traditional Point-of-Sale (POS) data has been useful for tracking transactions, customer data holds far greater potential for driving business growth and building long-term loyalty. The retail giants—Kroger, Amazon, and Walmart—have demonstrated the transformative power of leveraging customer data, not just to enhance the shopping experience but also to drive new revenue streams.
In the past, category management was about selecting products, setting prices, and hoping promotions would drive sales. But today's customers demand personalized experiences. Whether they're browsing on a mobile app, shopping in-store, or checking out via voice assistant, customers expect retailers to know their preferences and deliver tailored recommendations instantly.
Generative AI is reshaping the enterprise landscape, offering powerful tools to drive innovation and efficiency. But how do you integrate this cutting-edge technology in a way that truly aligns with your business goals? In a blog post from earlier this year Oracle’s Jyotika Singh and Sid Padgaonkar explore enterprise strategies for AI integration. Below, I've summarized their key points and, more importantly, how you can put them into action.
Retail is no longer just about selling products—it's about creating experiences, building connections, and staying ahead in a constantly evolving digital landscape. To thrive in this environment, retailers need more than just good products—they need a strategic framework to guide them through the complexities of digital transformation.
The retail landscape has undergone a seismic shift in recent years, driven by the rapid pace of digital transformation. As consumer behavior evolves and technology advances, retailers are finding themselves at a crossroads where traditional approaches no longer suffice.
The Supermarket News article dismissing grocery price controls lacks a valid path forward, relying on theoretical arguments without concrete industry data. While free markets have driven economic growth, they rarely reverse inflation in healthy markets. Hyland's reliance on general economic principles and historical examples, like the 1970s gas crisis, weakens his argument against price controls, leaving it speculative and unsupported by current evidence.
Understanding AI’s historical context and key developments is essential for any AI leader. As part of my continuous learning journey and to better inform the strategic direction at SymphonyAI, I have created a comprehensive presentation that explores the evolution of AI. This presentation highlights critical milestones, influential figures, and the technological advancements that have shaped AI from its early foundations in the 1950s to its current state as a transformative force across industries.
Adobe, known for its industry-leading creative software like Photoshop and Illustrator, is making waves by integrating generative AI into its products. This move is more than just a tech upgrade; it's a game-changer that's reshaping how Adobe's tools work, boosting efficiency, cutting costs, and significantly improving user experiences. Let's dive into how Adobe's embrace of generative AI is driving its digital transformation.
An understanding of key AI components and concepts is crucial for driving meaningful business transformation. As part of my ongoing commitment to staying at the forefront of AI leadership, I enrolled in MIT's "AI for Digital Transformation" course. Here some learnings.
In the mid-20th century, BIC was widely recognized as a leading manufacturer of pens. However, a transformative shift occurred when BIC began to see itself not just as a pen maker, but as a manufacturer of plastic goods. This strategic pivot was a game-changer for BIC, illustrating the power of reimagining a company’s identity to unlock new opportunities.
Today, OpenAI stands at a similar crossroads. OpenAI has the potential to redefine its role in the tech landscape in a way that mirrors BIC's transformation. The question is not if, but when, OpenAI will evolve from being an AI innovator to becoming a leading provider of data and insights across industries.
In a recent article, Kinjil Mathur, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Squarespace, shared her unconventional journey to success, which began with cold-calling companies listed in the Yellow Pages to land unpaid internships (Royle). While her story is inspiring, it raises important concerns about the implications of promoting unpaid work and the hustle mentality. This blog post explores the potential negative aspects of Mathur's advice and offers solutions to mitigate these risks.
In response to the Harvard Business Review article, "Why Great Employees Leave Great Cultures," this post explores the crucial role of organizational and leadership credibility in employee retention. In today's competitive job market, retaining top talent goes beyond offering attractive perks or competitive salaries. The core of employee retention lies in organizational and leadership credibility. When words align with actions, it builds a foundation of trust and respect, essential for a thriving workplace culture.
Reading Kantar’s recent article, "Meaningfully Different Brands Have a Head Start with AI," was both enlightening and invigorating. It brilliantly underscores how brands can harness AI to not only stand out but also create meaningful connections with their audiences. Here, I’ll dive into the key takeaways from the article and propose actionable strategies to implement these insights.
