SOLUM Unveils "AIR," Its New Vision for AI in Retail

• SOLUM introduces AIR, short for "AI for Retail," a framework built on three pillars (Architecture, Intelligence and Revenue) to guide the AI transformation of physical stores

• Next-generation network infrastructure connecting a growing number of in-store devices and increasing volumes of data to make its public debut at NRF 2027 in New York in January

SOLUM announced AIR (AI for Retail), its new vision for the AI transformation of physical retail. The company plans to unveil the in-store AI infrastructure that will bring this vision to life at NRF 2027: Retail's Big Show, the world's largest retail trade show, taking place January 10-12, 2027, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.

AI is rapidly expanding across the retail industry, from inventory management and shelf operations to the overall customer experience. For AI to work in physical stores as well as online, however, retailers first need infrastructure that collects and transmits information from across the store in real time. The number of in-store devices, including cameras, sensors, electronic shelf labels and large-format E-Paper displays, continues to grow, along with the volume of data they exchange.

As the number of connected devices grows, so do the equipment requirements and integration work needed to connect and manage them. Managing interference between wireless signals also becomes increasingly important. SOLUM believes that reliably scaling in-store AI requires advances in the underlying connectivity infrastructure and will unveil its next-generation network infrastructure at NRF 2027.

AIR consists of three pillars.

Architecture provides the network infrastructure that connects a store's diverse devices and data within a unified network, enabling retailers to flexibly add new devices and services.

Intelligence improves visibility into store operations using data collected from connected devices. It gives retailers an at-a-glance view of conditions that were previously difficult to monitor and transforms that data into actionable insights.

Revenue transforms in-store displays, including electronic shelf labels and large-format E-Paper displays, into customer-facing media channels, creating opportunities to drive sales and generate new revenue.

At NRF 2027, SOLUM will operate a standalone island booth (Booth #4966), designed to guide visitors through the three pillars of AIR in sequence. Live demonstrations will showcase the next-generation network infrastructure, store data visualization and in-store media applications.

"To bring retailers' vision of AI-powered stores to life, they need infrastructure that reliably connects a wide range of in-store devices and data," said Sungho Jun, CEO of SOLUM. "AIR represents our vision for enabling the entire retail AI transformation journey through SOLUM's technology, from connectivity infrastructure and intelligent store operations to new revenue opportunities." He added, "At NRF 2027, we will demonstrate how AIR can be implemented in real-world stores."

Spun off from Samsung Electro-Mechanics in 2015, SOLUM is a global provider of retail solutions, including electronic shelf labels. The company is expanding its retail portfolio beyond electronic shelf labels to include large-format E-Paper displays and AI-powered store solutions.