Reporting

  • Retailers are calling on AI to stop customer return fraud

    Retailers are calling on AI to stop customer return fraud

    By Shefali Kapadia It’s not uncommon for a consumer to order the same shirt in three sizes, then return the two that don’t fit. But what happens when the consumer swaps the labels and returns different shirts, or buys a dress for an event, wears it once with the tag tucked in, then returns it?… Read more

  • Data center construction boom driving historic manufacturing opportunities

    Data center construction boom driving historic manufacturing opportunities

    By Shefali Kapadia If someone told Trey Travis five years ago he’d be walking the floor of a supercomputing show, he wouldn’t have believed them. Georgia-based Southeastern Hose, where Travis is VP of operations, manufactures corrugated metal hoses and traditionally serves customers in industries such as steel and petrochemicals. But the hoses have another purpose:… Read more

  • Prepared food surge in c-stores brings packaging innovations

    Prepared food surge in c-stores brings packaging innovations

    By Shefali Kapadia Convenience stores are no longer just a spot to grab an energy drink and a bag of chips. The retailers are increasingly becoming an outlet for prepared meals and fresh food – even sushi – while still maintaining grab-and-go convenience. For packaging suppliers, the c-store sector presents a growing opportunity to supply… Read more

  • Facebook fraud becomes lightning rod

    Facebook fraud becomes lightning rod

    By Shefali Kapadia Social media platforms, especially Facebook, have become a hotbed for payment scams, putting financial institutions in a position of playing the last line of defense to stop money transfers from a victim to a criminal. The Federal Trade Commission tallied the toll on consumers last month in a new report: $2.1 billion in… Read more

  • How NASA is using AI and digital twins to replicate outer space on Earth

    How NASA is using AI and digital twins to replicate outer space on Earth

    By Shefali Kapadia When NASA’s Mars rover, Perseverance, needs to move from point A to point B, it’s not as simple as plugging in GPS directions. The rover has to avoid boulder fields, sand dunes, and steep slopes on a foreign planet. To help chart a course for Perseverance, NASA has enlisted the help of… Read more

  • Inside CPG’s AI advertising boom, from Super Bowl spots to synthetic focus groups

    Inside CPG’s AI advertising boom, from Super Bowl spots to synthetic focus groups

    By Shefali Kapadia Coca-Cola’s holiday ad and Svedka’s Super Bowl commercial share more in common than promoting a beverage — both were generated with the help of AI. The technology is catching on at consumer goods companies, with marketing leaders adding AI to their processes on both the creative and strategic sides. As a result, assets and… Read more