Enrique Martinez, CEO of FNAC DARTY at the Adopt AI Summit – How AI drives a new cycle of innovation and transformation

Enrique emphasized a visionary approach towards sustainable consumption. Contrary to the traditional retail goal of increasing sales, Enrique advocates for repairing products more and selling less. This shift focuses on improving customer access to products and services through technology while minimizing environmental impact. The goal is to create a business model that attracts more customers by prioritizing sustainability.

AI and data play a critical role in Fnac Darty’s transformation strategy. The company has undergone significant changes, moving from legacy systems to cloud-based solutions. This transition has enabled the collection and analysis of extensive data accumulated over 30 years. By leveraging big data, Fnac Darty has developed indicators to qualify vendors and products, enhancing transparency and customer trust. AI is now being used to streamline customer service operations, such as identifying optimal solutions for customer inquiries efficiently.

“I think a significant part of the business will come from transactions in the future. So there’s a big risk in changing the business model. To do that, we need to ensure we are being supported and support all the teams with the best data they need for this transformation.”

Enrique Martinez, CEO of Fnac Darty

AI-driven innovations are central to Fnac Darty’s operations. The company integrates AI across all business units, allowing managers to enhance performance. AI improves call center efficiency by identifying optimal solutions for customer issues. Enrique stressed embedding AI within the company’s transformation agenda rather than treating it separately.

Enrique recognized the significant impact of generative AI on retail and cultural sectors. Fnac Darty is shifting its business model to include recurring revenue from services instead of relying solely on transactions. AI is used to support employees and improve customer relationships, with efforts to scale AI integration across the organization while ensuring data protection and minimizing cyber risks

Enrique voiced concerns about AI’s effects on cultural creation and diversity. While AI can improve access to digital content, it’s crucial to distinguish between human and artificial creation. Fnac Darty supports AI regulation in cultural industries to protect human creativity. The company aims to preserve France’s cultural ecosystem, advocating for human authorship in literary works while using AI to enhance the consumer experience.

Enrique emphasized the responsibility of technology professionals to make innovations accessible and address global challenges like ecological transition and social equity. He highlighted Fnac Darty’s investment in training and preparing the market for AI-driven hardware, aiming to use technology responsibly to contribute positively to societal and environmental goals.

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