Microsoft Corp is working on technology to create a more automated grocery experience with an emphasis on convenience, according to Reuters.
Aiming to keep pace with Amazon Go, Micosoft is working on technology that would eliminate cashiers and checkout lines, sources say. There's even speculation that Microsoft could work with Walmart. Microsoft and Amazon have both fought to be No. 1. Microsoft still ranks No. 2 behind Amazon in selling cloud services that are key to running e-commerce sites, for instance. As constant competitors, Amazon and Microsoft continue to face off, now in the service of convenience.
Microsoft is showing off the basics for automated checkout at its Retail Experience Center in Redmond. Redmond-based AVA Retail, one of Microsoft's partners, is building their own checkout-free or related services atop Microsoft’s cloud, according to sources. Additionally, sales of partners' services result in cloud revenue for Microsoft along with offering insight into the market for new retail technologies.
Microsoft's Business AI (artificial intelligence) team continues to work on this technology. The emergence of a new convenience service in the market will help to drive competition for Amazon Go, but it is also an incentive to keep up with technology trends as the industry continues to grow.
