Latest news with #ScottWang
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OpenAI Leans Into Shopping With ChatGPT Upgrades
OpenAI wants to enter the shopping space in a more meaningful way. The technology giant announced Monday that it has launched new capabilities to help users shop and compare items more efficiently. More from Sourcing Journal Amazon-Backed Glacier Grabs $16M Series A for AI-Assisted Recycling Robots Chain Reaction: UniUni's Scott Wang on Building Smarter Supply Chains with AI and Automation Human Versus AI: Who Styled It Better? According to March data from Elon University, 52 percent of U.S. adults use large-language models (LLMs), and among those who have used and LLM, nearly three-quarters have experimented with ChatGPT. Prior to this announcement, OpenAI saw an influx of users turning to ChatGPT for shopping inspiration, said Saguna Goel, ChatGPT shopping product lead at OpenAI. 'This is a use case that we've seen users already come to ChatGPT for. We saw a really big spike around this for the holiday season, because ChatGPT is just starting to become this destination for people to come do product research,' Goel said. But when users previously went to OpenAI for help with shopping, Goel said she and her team identified various roadblocks they might hit on that journey; she noted ChatGPT was often incapable of comparing product reviews and pricing or providing accurate links for consumers to purchase suggested items. 'While we were serving some results on, 'Here's what could be interesting for you,' there wasn't actually a great next step,' Goel said. She hopes the latest iteration of ChatGPT—which includes additional features besides shopping—will help consumers change that. The new shopping function will, at first, hone in on categories like apparel, beauty, home goods and electronics. The main difference between ChatGPT's shopping function and a cursory Google search for products is that consumers can use natural-language prompts to speak to ChatGPT, rather than using search terms. So, for instance, while a consumer might use Google to search, 'linen vacation outfit,' they can instead give ChatGPT a more specific prompt, like, 'I'm going to Florida on a girls' trip in June. I want to purchase a matching set, preferably made of linen, for the trip. My budget is $60.' From there, the system offers up several different options that meet the specifications the user has outlined in their query. The shopping function can aggregate customer reviews and sentiment from social media sites like Reddit; can provide comparative analysis on price or features and can share direct links to help users make a purchase. The updated ChatGPT also incorporates product photos into its responses, so that users can shop visually, just as they would do based on an online search. Goel said she believes that function will resonate with consumers, and noted that OpenAI plans to further improve the visual aspect of the shopping function over time. 'We know that users are very visual and aesthetic, especially when it comes to shopping for certain categories, and being able to bring our most intelligent multimodal capabilities at OpenAI and combine that with shopping intent and shopping journeys is something I'm really, really excited about,' Goel said. OpenAI has started rolling out the updated features to free, Pro and Plus users—logged in or logged out—using the search function on ChatGPT-4o, its latest, most intelligent model. The full release will occur over the next several days. Goel said, for the moment, the upgrades are targeted at consumers, which means that enterprise clients' systems will not be impacted. Today, companies cannot purchase paid placements or advertisements for products in ChatGPT's user-facing results, Goel said. At present, OpenAI does not use affiliate links for products, nor does it generate revenue from product recommendations. Brands and retailers' offerings are ingested by OpenAI's technology so long as they aren't opted out of its search crawler, OAI-SearchBot. That helps ensure users' experience with ChatGPT remains as organic as possible, Goel noted. 'We think the best way to build a shopping experience is [to] have ChatGPT just serve you contextual and best recommendations for your query,' she said. 'Over time, users might have preferences on specific brands, which they can tell us about, but at this time, none of the recommendations that you see on ChatGPT are going to be…sponsored.' To that end, OpenAI plans to use existing user data to foster personalized results for users discovering products on ChatGPT. In the coming weeks, the company will launch a memory integration function, which will allow the generative AI tool to recall specific details about a consumer based on past conversations, if a user has ChatGPT's memory function turned on. Using that information, ChatGPT will soon be able to take preferences into account when making specific product recommendations. For instance, if ChatGPT's memory knows a user prefers to wear neutrals with a pop of color, it will be able to suggest items based on that knowledge. Goel said the company plans to continue iterating on the tool as it learns from users' preferences and actions, but noted that her team looks forward to helping transform users' shopping experiences in a new way. 'ChatGPT Search has already, from a technology and product perspective, made a really big dent, and I'm excited to…bring [to users] the model that we've developed, specifically trained for shopping, so that it can help users get to a place where they're like, 'Okay, shopping is not that overwhelming anymore, and I actually have an assistant that is on my side,'' Goel said.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chain Reaction: UniUni's Scott Wang on Building Smarter Supply Chains with AI and Automation
Chain Reaction is Sourcing Journal's discussion series with industry executives on logistics challenges and solutions. Here, Scott Wang, president of last-mile delivery firm UniUni, discusses why adopting automation and AI-powered tools is essential to building resilient, future-ready supply chains—especially with today's rapidly evolving landscape. Name: Scott Wang More from Sourcing Journal OpenAI Leans Into Shopping With ChatGPT Upgrades Amazon-Backed Glacier Grabs $16M Series A for AI-Assisted Recycling Robots Smarter, Greener, Stronger: How Tech is Driving Manufacturing Back to the US Title: President Company: UniUni What is UniUni? UniUni is a fast-growing logistics company transforming last-mile delivery for e-commerce brands. We combine advanced technology with efficient delivery solutions to help businesses enhance their online shopping experience with speed, reliability and customer satisfaction. What industries do you primarily serve? Which industry do you think has the most to teach fashion about improving their supply chain logistics? We mainly serve e-commerce customers—ranging from global marketplaces to regional brands—including many in the fashion industry. Fashion brands in particular will benefit from focusing on their inventory management and adopting just-in-time delivery models to stay competitive and reduce waste. Their supply chain operations can take a page out of the big e-commerce brand playbook to adopt automation and artificial intelligence (AI). Automation drives the systems that make these supply chains run efficiently, but AI is what makes these systems smart, allowing companies to predict consumer demand, optimize delivery routes and reduce overproduction. These two technologies go hand-in-hand to build a more resilient, cost-effective supply chain. What are the main things brands and retailers could do (or stop doing) right now that would immediately improve logistics? Brands should prioritize more accurate demand-side forecasting. Strong forecasting drives efficiency across the entire supply chain. And with better predictions, brands can pinpoint daily demand and plan exactly how many air freight shipments, customs-cleared pallets, trucks and drivers are needed. That kind of visibility is invaluable. What they should stop doing is over-designing packaging. Unique packaging may look great, but it often raises costs and reduces delivery efficiency. In some cases, a bulky package means you can only deliver one or two items when you could've delivered 10 with smarter design. In my opinion, packaging should be smart, sustainable and space efficient. It's better for logistics and better for the planet. On the topic of environmental impact, what is your company doing to make the movement of goods more sustainable? As we scale our North American operations, UniUni is prioritizing sustainability with a number of initiatives that we started in Canada and are looking to expand across the U.S., including carbon offsetting, ecosystem restoration and electric vehicle (EV) adoption. When it comes to supply chain logistics challenges, there are things companies can fix, and things that are beyond their control. How can the former help the latter? The only constant in supply chain logistics is uncertainty. Labor shortages, extreme weather and shifting regulations are all outside of a brand's control. Fortunately, resilience starts with focusing on what can be controlled. Diversifying carrier networks and adopting AI-powered logistics tools both help brands mitigate risk and respond faster when disruptions occur, which they inevitably will. Predictive technologies also play a key role by forecasting potential delivery issues, giving brands the ability to make real-time adjustments and prevent problems from escalating. What is the one thing brands and retailers could be doing to make better use of technology to improve logistics? AI enables brands to unlock real-time analysis and operational visibility across their supply chain and can turn customer feedback into immediate action. For example, if a customer reports a delivery issue, AI can instantly route that feedback to the correct department—be it IT, operations or a specific warehouse—to address the issues quickly and accurately. AI also supports real-time, proof-of-delivery audits and can flag potential errors like misdeliveries when they happen. This allows teams to respond instantly and can even alert drivers to correct the issue before it escalates. What area of logistics isn't receiving the industry attention it deserves? There's massive opportunity when it comes to reverse logistics. Even though return volumes are rising, reverse supply chains are actually underdeveloped. As density increases, this will become a vital area where brands can gain a competitive edge with smarter planning and better infrastructure. Are you optimistic about the state of supply chains in the next few years? I am! And, yes, I'm going back to AI and automation. We are going to see a lot of change in the years ahead and a lot of it will depend on which companies are willing to adopt these technologies to improve the shopping experience. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Supply Chain Leaders Embrace AI, but Struggle to Bridge Technology Implementation Gap
Fresh data revealing executive sentiment from Logility, an AI-driven supply chain management solution provider, revealed that while 63 percent of industry leaders claim their operations are 'fully optimized' with the latest tech, 'foundational performance metrics tell a different story,' researchers said in their report. The research showed that forecast accuracy averages about 48 percent while on-time-in-full (OTIF) sits at 52 percent, and gross margin at 18 percent. More from Sourcing Journal OpenAI Leans Into Shopping With ChatGPT Upgrades Amazon-Backed Glacier Grabs $16M Series A for AI-Assisted Recycling Robots Chain Reaction: UniUni's Scott Wang on Building Smarter Supply Chains with AI and Automation With generative AI, 97 percent of those polled said they are using some form of it, but only 33 percent noted that are applying it to supply chain-specific use cases . The underpinning theme of the report, titled, 'Supply Chain Horizons 2025 Market Report: Navigating the Digital Transformation and GenAI Journey in Supply Chain,' was that as supply chain leaders highly favor technologies such as generative AI, their companies are having a hard time with implementation. The data was culled from 500 supply chain executives across the U.S., U.K., DACH, Australia and India. Those polled represent companies that have a minimum of $500 million in annual revenue. Vanson Bourne provided support on the research. Allan Dow, president of Logility, said the 'past no longer has to define the future. However, leaders must close the gap between vision and execution, especially when it comes to unlocking GenAI's transformative potential.' Other notable takeaways from the 39-page report include that 71 percent of organizations polled saying they have fully funded transformation initiatives. Even so, 57 percent of respondents cited data quality as a barrier to AI adoption while 35 percent said they struggle to build a business case for AI technology investment. Meanwhile, the research showed that legacy technology systems 'remain a drag on performance' with 52 percent of those polled saying 'on-premise platforms hinder progress, and only 38 percent plan to migrate to the cloud within a year.' When asked about generative AI use and priorities, focus areas include transportation/logistics (39 percent), risk management (34 percent) and inventory optimization (31 percent). 'Yet only 18 percent are using GenAI for order fulfillment and 20 percent for scenario planning,' the report's authors said. 'The report emphasizes the urgency for leaders to modernize outdated processes, accelerate cloud adoption and prioritize GenAI experimentation,' the authors of the report said. 'It cautions that reliance on legacy systems and manual tools like Excel (still used by 55 percent of respondents) continues to hinder progress.' 'Trying to execute new supply chain technologies in old ways is a recipe for failure,' Dow said. 'The window for creating competitive advantage is still open — but not for long. With the right tools, a little courage, and a lot of heart, supply chain leaders who embrace GenAI and rethink their processes will be able to define the future—not just react to it.' Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Teamsters President: ‘UPS Will Be in for a Hell of a Fight' After Layoffs
The announcement from UPS that it would lay off 20,000 employees in 2025 generated some blowback from its largest union. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents more than 300,000 workers at the parcel delivery company, suggested in the hours after the call took place that it was ready to take legal action if any layoffs violate the terms of their current five-year contract. More from Sourcing Journal UPS Slashes 20,000 Jobs as it Weans Off Amazon Smarter, Greener, Stronger: How Tech is Driving Manufacturing Back to the US Chain Reaction: UniUni's Scott Wang on Building Smarter Supply Chains with AI and Automation 'United Parcel Service is contractually obligated to create 30,000 Teamsters jobs under our current national master agreement,' said Teamsters general president Sean O'Brien in a statement Tuesday afternoon. 'If UPS wants to continue to downsize corporate management, the Teamsters won't stand in its way. But if the company intends to violate our contract or makes any attempt to go after hard-fought, good-paying Teamsters jobs, UPS will be in for a hell of a fight.' Two years ago, the Teamsters and UPS agreed to the contract after a contentious bargaining period that saw the 1.3-million-member union threaten to go on strike. As the bill from the contract racked up—UPS said it paid $1.4 billion more in compensation and benefits expenses in 2024 due to the deal—cuts had to be made elsewhere. The courier laid off 12,000 employees to start that year, with most of those roles coming from management, as well as some contractors. But those layoffs came along before last year's introduction of UPS' Network of the Future, the company's logistics network consolidation designed to flow more volume into automated warehouses. Under the plan, UPS is closing roughly 200 facilities, namely sortation centers. The company aims to close 73 sites this year. From a longer-term perspective, the automation push sows some concern into how many employees will get axed through the end of 2028, when the Network of the Future plan is expected to run its course. When news first broke out that UPS would temporarily shutter a package processing facility in Portland, Ore. on July 1 amid an automation deployment, Teamsters national vice president John Palmer admitted to The Oregonian that the union should have done a better job negotiating contracts that protect workers. 'If you're going to get displaced, based on your years of service there ought to be some sort of severance,' Palmer said. 'Automation is a real thing. There's only so much we can do to stop progress. But the other side of it is when you have a corporation like UPS that makes billions of dollars in profit every quarter.' Additionally, Palmer had suggested that the Teamsters should have sought a contract that promised longtime employees the chance to train for maintenance of automated sorting machines. The scenario in Portland is happening across dozens of facilities that are getting renovated to fully or partly incorporate automation. Reports of a possible brewing partnership with robotics startup Figure AI, in which UPS would use humanoid robots within its warehousing network, are likely to add insult to injury for the Teamsters. UPS never confirmed the partnership talks, or the use of a humanoid robot, but company brass hasn't been shy about admitting that the automation crusade is going to end up impacting jobs. 'The end result will be a much more efficient operation with less dependency on labor,' said Nando Cesarone, president U.S. at UPS, in Tuesday's earnings call. The UPS-Teamsters deal, which lasts through July 31, 2028, is supposed to create 30,000 Teamsters jobs, with 7,500 of them being full-time gigs. The master contract has no mention of automation or robotics. UPS isn't the only logistics player in the Teamsters' crosshairs. O'Brien took aim at another one of his common targets, Amazon, in a post on X Tuesday following the White House's blasting of the e-commerce giant for reportedly planning to show added tariff costs on consumer products. 'News flash: Amazon has ZERO allegiance to the United States. Decades after free trade politicians sold out American workers, Amazon has built an international empire fueled by industrial slavery managed by the Chinese Communist Party,' wrote O'Brien, in a reference to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's insistence that the company 'has partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.' Amazon later denied that any tariff-displaying plans were in place. O'Brien's mini-rant came a week after a regional office of the National Labor Relations Board ruled Amazon must collectively bargain with Teamsters-affiliated warehouse workers at a San Francisco distribution center. 'While here in the U.S., it neglects, abuses, and disowns an American workforce to further inflate its profit margins,' O'Brien said in his post. 'What Jeff Bezos and Amazon are really afraid of is sharing their wealth with the people who created it. Hold Amazon accountable to American workers!'
