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If Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around as a concept for 50 years, why is it only becoming prominent now? According to Complexica’s CEO, Matt Michalewicz, the two key drivers have been improvements in business and technology. Businesses have more digitalised processes than in the past, and this has assisted the growth of AI. Technologically, computer power has become cheaper, and the data to train AI is readily available with the explosion of the internet. The capabilities and algorithms of AI have improved to incorporate ‘deep learning’; considering what consumers see and what they say using their natural language, to recognise patterns in how they think. AI and machine learning automates analysis. It makes assumptions, assesses models and re-evaluates data to provide detailed predictions at speed and scale, without human intervention. It learns from itself, with predictions becoming increasingly accurate and more specific over time.

Metcash has implemented Complexica's artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Promotional Campaign Manager (PCM) to bring a little more ‘smarts’ to its promotional and retailer profitability. Phase one is complete, after the agreement was signed last year, within Metcash’s liquor division, Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM), which operates out of 15 distribution centres in Australia and New Zealand. In July, Complexica and ALM kicked off phase two of the project, which will introduce advanced prediction and optimisation capabilities into the deployed system.  

Metcash’s liquor division, Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM), is taking its marketing to the cloud after signing an agreement with Complexica for standardising and optimising its promotional activities using Artificial Intelligence. ALM supports more than 2700 independently-owned stores operating under the IBA banner group including Cellarbrations, the Bottle-O, IGA Liquor, Thirsty Camel, and Porters Liquor.

“Following a successful proof-of-concept earlier this year, we have selected Complexica as our vendor of choice for standardising and optimising our promotional planning activities,” said interim CEO of ALM, Rod Pritchard. “Complexica’s Promotional Campaign Manager [PCM] will provide us with a cloud-based platform for automating and optimising promotional planning for more than 2700 stores, leading to improved decision-making, promotional effectiveness, and financial outcomes for our retail stores.”