Retailers are sitting on a gold mine of customer data, but too often, it’s treated like a cost rather than a strategic asset. Retailers who harness customer data insights outperform competitors by 85% in sales growth and 25% in gross margin.
Ever see a place all over your social media, get there, and feel… underwhelmed? In an age of hashtags and hype, a city's online reputation often has little to do with the real-life experience. This leaves us all asking: how do we find the places that are actually worth visiting, not just the ones with good marketing?
Retail is undergoing a seismic shift, where data is no longer just a support tool—it's the driving force behind growth, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Yet, despite massive investments in digital transformation, most of that data remains locked in silos, costing the global economy trillions and stalling decision-making. As the retail media market races toward $140 billion by 2026, the opportunity—and necessity—for smarter data collaboration has never been greater. In this article, we explore how the future of retail will be shaped by connected ecosystems, where retailers and their partners align on data, technology, and trust. From secure clean room environments to AI-powered insights, the key to unlocking shared growth lies in breaking down barriers and building a foundation of interoperability and governance. The message is clear: when data flows freely and securely, everyone wins.
At Artefact, we've always believed that artificial intelligence isn't just about algorithms and data—it's about amplifying human creativity. This conviction is embedded in our DNA (Art and Fact) and through all Artefactors. We don't just consult on AI; we live and breathe the creative possibilities it unlocks.
In the evolving landscape of enterprise AI, the rise of agentic systems marks a pivotal shift. AI agents are autonomous applications powered by large language models (LLMs) capable of reasoning, memory, and action. They are no longer passive responders to user input; they are active decision-makers influencing business processes in real time. But with autonomy comes risk, and with risk comes the need for structured supervision. In this new paradigm, supervision of tech systems is no longer optional, it is foundational.
As search progressively shifts toward conversational engines such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Le Chat, Claude or Perplexity, brands must fundamentally rethink how they exist online. Visibility becomes central: it is no longer about pleasing Google’s algorithms but about appearing within generated, synthesized, and contextualized answers.
As Thomas Filaire highlighted at VivaTech 2025, AI is speeding up crucial medical processes, enhancing personalized patient care, and streamlining complex operations, ultimately leading to more efficient and effective healthcare systems. It's a transformative leap towards delivering demonstrably better health outcomes for everyone
Sidney Zeder is Director of Data & AI Consulting at Artefact. She works in the practice dedicated to the travel, tourism and transport sector in Europe, supporting major industry players across the entire data value chain, from strategy to operational activation.
In our first article, we established why traditional ROI models fail to capture AI’s unique value dynamics—non-linear returns, delayed benefits, and contextual dependencies.
