JD Sports is diving deep into AI with a new plan that means shoppers will be able to buy products through AI platforms without exiting an app.
JD Sports
AI is increasingly making itself felt in retail in both behind-the-scenes and customer-facing activities and this is one move that’s as customer-facing as it’s possible to get. It reflects consumers’ increasing use of AI platforms like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, the latter of which will be its first partner.
Jetan Chowk, JD’s chief technology and transformation officer told the Press Association the company sees AI as “the future of how people will shop” and the retailer wants to be at the heart of this.
It’s working with Commercetools and payment firm Stripe on “one-click purchases” through AI platforms with the tech to launch in the US — now its biggest market — in the months ahead.
But JD isn’t the only one carving out an AI sales future. Back in October major rival Frasers Group (it owns Sports Direct, which competes directly with JD in the UK) saying it was to become the first European retailer to deploy Commercetools’ full agentic commerce suite.
As for JD, it’s expecting to expand the tech to other key markets (the UK and Europe) this year.
Chowk said: “We think AI is the future of how people will shop, and we want to stay at the forefront of how they shop. What we are currently seeing is that customers are regularly using AI apps to research and discover the products they want to buy. We can see that already and want to ensure we are moving early to meet customers and their needs in that space.”
Importantly too, JD has a big presence in the youth shopping market and has seen AI usage soaring for shoppers aged 18 to 24.
So now, those shoppers will be able to not only find products using AI but buy them too within the AI platforms.
CEO Regis Schultz hailed the strengthening of its digital proposition for customers, and how how the tech “keeps us moving in line with the fast-changing retail landscape”.
He thinks the innovation will make the company more efficient as well as improving the customer experience.
