Happy Friday! ‘This week in CX’ brings you the latest roundup of industry news.

This week, we’re looking at Sitecore’s new OpenAI integration, the latest data perspectives on in-store omnichannel strategies, and the data on supermarket grocery spending over Easter, provided by Kantar. We’ve also done a little bit of experimenting with a new AI chatbot!

Key news

  • Virtual production studio, Dimension and talent agency, Unsigned, unveiled the world’s first MetaHuman supermodel – Eva Herzigova. Using a 70 camera rig, the studio was able to successfully recreate a hyperreal 3D MetaHuman version of world renowned supermodel, Eva, creating the perfect solution for brands looking to explore digital fashion. The MetaHuman model can be dressed, and styled in many different ways as well as having her body and facial expressions animated using motion capture or traditional animation. This technology will significantly change the way fashion brands show off collections in the future, as well as changing the game for broader marketing and advertising campaigns.
  • The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has blocked Microsoft’s $68.7bn (£55bn) takeover of Activision Blizzard. The CMA voiced concerns that the deal would lead to reduced innovation and less choice for gaming customers. Last October, the CMA also blocked Meta’s acquisition of the gif-sharing platform Giphy. They cited a risk to competition in social media and display advertising.

New AI chatbot on Snapchat

Social media platform Snapchat have launched their own AI chatbot called ‘My AI’. It is automatically on your friends list on the platform and available for you to interact with straight away. When you ask the bot what it can do, it lists a variety of tasks (pictured below). 

If you send the bot a photo, it will be able to analyse the photo and tell you what it is looking at, but only lists it as a ‘scenario’. If you question that, it will insist you did not send it a photo. Is this a bug to the new bot, or a strange, dishonest AI mechanism we should be wary of? Upon later questioning, we also found possible issues on inaccurate information and questions about the AI’s information sources. Lots of things to raise our eyebrows at here, despite how impressive this bot is.

Check out our research and experimentation with My AI here:

Sitecore introduces OpenAI generative AI integration functionality

Open AI ChatGPT integration across Sitecore’s array of fully composable software solutions is here. This feature release, powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service will provide marketers the ability to integrate Generative AI functionality into their Sitecore-powered martech stack. This should improve efficiency, personalisation, and content production at scale.

59% of UK marketers are actively investing in Generative AI technologies to support their marketing or CX functions. These are findings from an exclusive Sitecore survey of over 400 UK marketers conducted in March 2023 by Advanis. Another 35% of UK marketers are seriously considering investment in the short-term. 

Additionally, Sitecore customers can use Dall-E to generate image variants for omnichannel campaigns being managed across Sitecore’s Content Cloud.

AI is seen as the most important martech investment for 72% of UK marketers – according to the Advanis survey. Digital experience software has been selected as the second spot priority. Software providers that can integrate generative AI functions into DX software delivery will therefore be addressing the most important needs for savvy, solution-focused brands.

Marketers seeking AI benefits by investing in composable tech stacks

  • Most UK marketers (70%) expect that they will move at least some of their marketing tech stack to composable software solutions. The top three reasons for choosing composable offerings include greater cost efficiencies (53%), the ability to create slick omnichannel experiences (45%) and faster time to value (42%).
  • In fact, 45% of UK marketers stated that they feel their technology is not currently equipped to leverage Generative AI.
  • AI is seen as the most important martech investment for 72% of UK marketers, with digital experience software selected as the number two priority.

How much money was spent in grocery supermarkets this Easter?

Grocery price inflation rose by 17.3% in the four weeks to 16 April 2023, down marginally on the 17.5% recorded in the previous four weeks according to the latest data from Kantar.  Take home grocery sales grew by 8.1% over the month to mid-April. 

Amid rising prices, both Aldi and Lidl hit new record market shares over the latest 12 week period at 10.1% and 7.6% respectively.  Lidl was the fastest growing grocer with sales increasing by 25.1%, while Aldi is just behind on 25.0%. 

“It was a record-setting Easter, with a whopping 38 million chocolate eggs and treats bought in the week running up to Easter Sunday, five million more than last year.  Households spent nearly £14 on Easter chocolate over the month, which works out at around six packs on average.  People didn’t hold back on other favourites either; the number of hot cross bun packs sold nudged up by 5% while 3.4 million households picked up a lamb joint for the traditional seasonal roast during the four weeks.”

–Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar

Shoppers are likely to be looking ahead to the three bank holidays in May, including for the Coronation, which could impact grocery sales.  

The three largest grocers continued to grow at similar rates in the 12 weeks to 16 April 2023.  Asda led the pack with sales up 8.8% year on year, giving the retailer a 14.0% share of the market.  Tesco and Sainsbury’s weren’t far behind with their sales increasing by 8.0% and 8.7%, claiming 27.0% and 14.9% of the sector respectively. 

Thanks for tuning into CXM’s weekly roundup of industry news. Check back next Friday for the latest updates of the week!

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