339: Can AI Predict the Future? And Should It?

Retail Transformation Show with Oliver Banks

In retail, we’ve always tried to predict what’s coming next—what customers will want, where demand will shift, how operations should flex. But now, with AI advancing rapidly, a new question emerges: can AI actually help us predict the future—and should it? In this episode, we explore how and where AI can support forecasting and foresight, and where its limits lie. From short-term stock planning to long-term strategic bets, we’ll unpack the tension between the need for control and the reality of uncertainty - and why successful transformation requires blending of artificial intelligence with human judgment and instinct.

Listen to this episode to hear:

• Why retailers need to predict the future over short, mid, and long-term time horizons.
• How AI can enhance decision-making and the limitations to watch out for.
• Where AI fits best in forecasting the future, and why human skills are still vital.

The show notes are at www.obandco.uk/339.