These days, retailers are increasingly hitching their wagon to the AI horse: big box stores like Target have issued guidance that they’re not responsible for any errant purchases its AI agent charges to your credit card, while chain restaurants like Taco Bell and Pizza Hut have forced AI into their services, with dismal results so far.
Now, sports retail giant Dick’s Sporting Goods is getting in on the hype with its own AI personal trainer. Called “Coach by Dick’s,” the system will be an AI agent meant to give athletes tips on upping their game, which will of course include targeted ads for new sports equipment, Retail Dive reported.
According to a Dick’s press release, the AI system “delivers immersive conversational experiences that go beyond transactional shopping, guiding athletes using timely, relevant data and adapting to their stated preferences, goals and behaviors.”
Built on the Adobe Brand Concierge platform, the whole thing goes live on the Dick’s mobile app in June, at which time athletes will be able to “access training pro tips and product education grounded in Dick’s sport knowledge.”
Whether you ask for advice improving your forehand, or for tips on navigating the basketball league you just joined, Coach by Dick’s is overtly geared toward getting you to the checkout line.
As Dick’s chief technology officer Vlad Rak said in the press release, “Coach by Dick’s helps guide athletes to the right product, the right fit, and trusted expertise so every interaction is personal to what they need.”
Needless to say, how this plays out in reality is anybody’s guess — especially where physical activity is concerned, where misinformation or improper training from an AI chatbot could easily lead to debilitating injuries. We’ll be watching.
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