128. Demystifying Artificial Intelligence

128. Demystifying Artificial Intelligence

Author: Shekar Raman Gary Hawkins March 12, 2026 Duration: 26:05

Gary and Shekar return to The Retail Perch to dive into all things AI and introduce a new format for the series. Future episodes will feature more voices and perspectives, exploring a wider range of topics around Birdzi, innovation, and emerging technology. In this conversation, they break down the three main types of AI, discuss how the AI landscape is changing, and share how people can better understand and embrace AI as a tool for growth rather than fear.


Hosted by Shekar Raman, CEO of Birdzi, and Gary Hawkins, CEO of the Center for Advancing Retail & Technology, The Retail Perch offers a unique vantage point on the rapidly changing world of retail. This isn't just industry analysis; it's a series of conversations that dig into the practical intersections of technology, consumer behavior, and business strategy. Each episode provides a fresh perspective, challenging conventional thinking about how everyday retail operations are being transformed. The hosts draw from their deep frontline experience to build a new framework for understanding everything from your local grocery store to global e-commerce trends. Recognized among the top grocery industry podcasts to follow, the discussions here are grounded in real-world application. Tuning into this podcast means hearing directly from two thought leaders who are actively shaping the future of the sector, breaking down complex ideas into actionable insights for entrepreneurs, executives, and anyone curious about the business of selling. You'll find a focus on the tangible forces-data, AI, logistics, and customer experience-that are redrawing the competitive landscape right now.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Retail Perch
Podcast Episodes
89. Interview with Chandan Mahajan of DotKonnekt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:24
In this episode, Shekar and Gary chat with Chandan Mahajan, one of the founders of DotKonnekt, a company that focuses on helping consumer brands scale their D2C channels organically. Chandan comes from a family of retail…
88. Interview with Galen Walters of Stor.ai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:58
Don't miss this episode where Shekar and Gary welcome Galen Walters. Galen is the CEO of Stor.ai, a Relationshop Company, a platform that empowers retailers by combining ecommerce, data analytics, and omni-channel engage…
87. Interview with Valentin Radu of Omniconvert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:10
In this episode of The Retail Perch, Gary and Shekar delve even deeper into the world of data and marketing with Valentin Radu, CEO of Omniconvert. Omniconvert focuses on Direct to Consumer businesses, and enriching thei…
86. Interview with Sean Snyder of Engagement Agents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:21
In this episode of The Retail Perch, Gary and Shekar welcome Sean Snyder. Sean Snyder, a fellow retailer himself, is CEO of Engagement Agents. His company helps retailers optimize leases, drive traffic and sales, and pre…
85. Interview with Carol Leaman of Axonify [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:18
In this episode of The Retail Perch, Gary returns to join Shekar in welcoming Carol Leaman. Carol is the CEO of Axonify Inc., a company that delivers fun training and communications to frontline employees. In this episod…
84. Interview with Randy Mercer of 1WorldSync [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:33
In today’s episode of The Retail Perch, Shekar hosts his first episode solo and his first guest of 2023, Randy Mercer of 1WorldSync. Randy is the VP of Global Product Management at 1WorldSync, a leading tool for data syn…
83. Interview with Sharat Potharaju of Beaconstac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:40
This week on The Retail Perch, Shekar and Gary welcome their first guest from India, Sharat Potharaju. Sharat is the Co-Founder & CEO of Beaconstac. Beaconstac generates QR codes, makes templated landing pages, and facil…
82. Shekar and Gary's Predictions for 2023! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:37
In this special episode of The Retail Perch, Shekar and Gary discuss their top 10 predictions for 2023 surrounding supermarket retail. They both share five of their own predictions which include the growth of retail medi…
81. Interview with Andrew Forman of Givz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:10
This is the perfect episode to kick off the season of giving! Gary and Shekar welcome Andrew Forman, Founder & CEO of Givz, a platform that provides customers with an alternative option to traditional discounts that give…
80. Interview with Andrew and Thomas Parkinson of Sifter Solutions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:48
In this episode of The Retail Perch, Shekar and Gary are excited to have brothers, Andrew and Thomas Parkinson, founders of Peapod, on The Retail Perch. Andrew and Thomas have more recently founded Sifter Solutions, whic…