Sainsbury’s and Microsoft have signed a five-year strategic partnership, designed to help deliver the retailer’s next-level Sainsbury’s strategy Sainsbury plc and Microsoft Corp. announced a new five-year strategic partnership, using…

Sainsbury’s and Microsoft have signed a five-year strategic partnership, designed to help deliver the retailer’s next-level Sainsbury’s strategy

Sainsbury plc and Microsoft Corp. announced a new five-year strategic partnership, using Microsoft’s artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities and Sainsbury’s rich datasets to help accelerate the retailer’s recently announced Next Level Sainsbury’s strategy.

The partnership will improve store operations, drive greater employee efficiency, and provide customers with more efficient and effective service, delivering stronger returns for shareholders under Sainsbury’s ‘Save and invest to win’ programme.

By harnessing Microsoft’s products and expert engineering capabilities, Sainsbury’s will put the power of AI in the hands of store colleagues and make shopping more engaging and more convenient for millions of customers across the UK – both online and in-store.

This will be supported by upskilling programmes for Sainsbury’s colleagues, helping them learn and grow in the new AI-driven economy.

Clodagh Moriarty, Sainsbury’s Chief Retail and Technology Officer, said: “Our collaboration with Microsoft will accelerate our ambition to become the UK’s leading AI-enabled grocer.

“It’s one of the key ways we’re investing in transforming our capabilities over the next three years, enabling us to take another big leap forward in efficiency and productivity, continue to provide leading customer service and deliver returns for our shareholders.”

Clare Barclay, CEO, Microsoft UK, said: “Today, Sainsbury’s has laid out a bold vision that puts AI at the heart of its business, accelerating the development of new services, which will enhance and transform the customer and colleague experience.