In a significant move set to redefine the retail experience, JD Sports has announced it will begin allowing customers to make purchases directly through popular artificial intelligence platforms.
AI: The New Shopping Assistant
The sportswear giant is launching a system for "one-click purchases" through AI assistants like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot. The initiative will begin in the United States, with plans to link with other leading large language models (LLMs) in the future.
Jetan Chowk, the Chief Technology and Transformation Officer at JD Sports, stated that AI represents "the future of how people will shop". He revealed the company is acting early to meet evolving customer habits, having observed a surge in shoppers using AI apps to research and discover products.
"We think AI is the future of how people will shop, and we want to stay at the forefront of how they shop," Mr Chowk told PA Media this week. He noted that usage is booming particularly among the retailer's core demographic of shoppers aged between 18 and 24.
Seamless Shopping from Discovery to Payment
The integration means US customers will be able to use these AI platforms for the entire shopping journey. They can discover JD Sports products, select them, and complete the transaction with integrated payments, all without leaving the AI interface.
To enable this streamlined process, JD Sports is partnering with composable commerce specialist Commercetools and the payment processing firm Stripe. This technical backbone will facilitate the instant, one-click buying capability.
Keeping Pace with a Fast-Changing Landscape
Regis Schultz, the Group Chief Executive of JD Sports Fashion, emphasised the strategic importance of the move. "This strengthens our digital proposition for customers, and keeps us moving in line with the fast-changing retail landscape," he said.
Schultz added that the company views AI as a genuine opportunity to enhance customer experience while improving operational efficiency. "I’m really pleased that with this big step forward we are putting our words into action," he stated.
This launch positions JD Sports among the first major retailers to formally adapt to the consumer shift towards using generative AI platforms like ChatGPT for shopping. It signals a broader transformation in how retail transactions may be conducted in the coming years.
