Lenovo introduced three new retail solutions on Saturday at Retail's Big Show, NRF 2025, in New York City. These solutions combine robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance customer experiences. The company says that these solutions are field-tested and proven in commercial settings.
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Retail Content Management Services
Lenovo's Retail Content Management Services enables real-time creation, scheduling, and display of multimedia content across stores. The solution includes all necessary hardware and software and can be deployed, maintained and managed across multiple locations globally. Lenovo noted that a food and beverage chain has deployed the service across over 100 locations and reported significant cost savings from dynamically managed promotional campaigns, reduced use of paper marketing materials, and lower manpower requirements for managing campaigns and devices.
Retail Robotics
In partnership with Yunji Technology, Lenovo introduced Retail Robotics, featuring modular, AI-driven robots capable of automating deliveries and enhancing customer interactions. In a pilot project at a 400-room hotel, the robots handled over 90 percent of guest requests and takeout services, increasing sales revenue by 20 percent while reducing manpower needs. The solution offers flexible applications across both hospitality and retail sectors.
Yunji's robotics solutions are also currently deployed by more than 30,000 hotels, including those of Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Huazhu Group, InterContinental Hotels Group, Jinjiang Group, and Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Lenovo reported.
"This represents an advancement in traditional retail robotics in three key ways," Lenovo explained. "First, the modular design enables easy customization for a wide range of applications, unlike other robots limited to single tasks. Second, AI, navigation, and vision recognition capabilities enable high-quality customer interactions, combined with reduced delivery times to enhance customer satisfaction. Third, the robots collect data during operations, creating an AI-driven feedback loop that can be integrated into supply chain, customer service, and merchandising decision-making platforms."
"While there is a lot of hype around AI and other technologies, examples of deployment in practical solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes is much rarer," said Lawrence Yu, General Manager of Global Retail Solutions at Lenovo.
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AI Deployment Made Simple
According to Lenovo, securely and responsibly deploying complex IT solutions like AI, while maximizing demonstrable return on investment, remains a significant challenge for the retail sector.
The Lenovo AI Fast Start program addresses this challenge by accelerating AI adoption. The program enables retailers to validate use cases within weeks, leveraging personal, enterprise, or public AI platforms. Retailers gain access to AI assets, experts, and partners who can help them build generative AI use case solutions tailored to their specific data and needs, speeding up the path to full implementation.
This program is complemented by Lenovo TruScale as-a-Service offerings, which provide scalable, low-CapEx solutions for AI devices and infrastructure, including GPU orchestration for advanced workloads.
"Although global retail sales are projected to recover in 2025, low consumer confidence is slated to continue plaguing the industry. It behooves retailers to capture this growth opportunity, by optimizing costs and boosting customer satisfaction with AI," said Lawrence Yu. "Through relying on Lenovo’s deep retail expertise, our industry-leading, scalable hybrid AI approach, and our ability to deliver globally, today’s retailer can considerably improve their chances of sustainable success."
