# Bridging the Gap Between AI and Retailers

By Melissa Gonzalez · Published 2023-07-26 · Updated 2026-05-19 · Retail on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/retail/ai-and-retailers
Creator hub: Retail Refined

> Retailers are using AI to translate product data into the language customers actually search for, unlocking hidden revenue

## Key points

- Lily AI translates 'merchant speak' into 'consumer speak' using image recognition and AI, making product catalogs more searchable.
- The approach improves on-site search relevance and demand forecasting, leading to measurable revenue increases for retailers.
- Authenticity and consumer-centric context are critical to effective AI applications in retail.

Block Field

The intersection of AI and retailers comes into focus In the latest episode of [Retail Refined](https://marketscale.com/shows/retail-refined/). Host [Melissa Gonzalez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissagonzalezlionesque/) sits down with **Purva Gupta**, Co-Founder and CEO of **Lily AI**. Their conversation centers on how **Lily AI** bridges the gap between 'merchant speak' and 'consumer speak' regarding AI and retailers. **Gupta** explains how **Lily AI** uses advanced [image recognition and AI capabilities](https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/03/27/2634758/0/en/Lily-AI-Launches-Self-Serve-Product-Attributes-Platform-to-Enhance-Attribution-for-Retailers-and-Brands.html) to extract product attributes from catalogs, translating them into consumer-friendly language. This process not only optimizes on-site search and demand forecasting but also leads to significant revenue increases. The discussion also touches on the importance of authenticity and context in AI applications, with **Gupta** emphasizing that AI is best when viewed as a tool to solve consumer problems rather than an end in itself.

> AI is best when viewed as a tool to solve consumer problems rather than an end in itself.

### About the Guest

**Purva** began her career with Saatchi and Saatchi, forming her love of retail when she was assigned to P&G and witnessed the emotional strength of people's connection to their preferred products. Inspired by consumer innovation, **Purva** joined Eko, a branchless banking and mobile payments platform serving the unbanked and funded by Gates Foundation. Most recently, **Purva** invested in life-saving apps and technologies with UNICEF Ventures' Innovation Fund. **Purva** is an immigrant founder on six visas in the last four years to live her American dream. She is a Tory Burch Fellow (2019) and holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business and a Bachelor's in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce (India).

Tags: AI, AI and retailers, Lily AI, Melissa Gonzalez, Purva Gupta, Retail Refined, Thought Leadership

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