INAIR: INcreasing the uptake of AI technology in Retail
Keywords: AI, MSMEs, Other engineering and technologies, Retail
Grant-awarding entity: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Project website: https://www.ai4retail.eu/pl/
ABSTRACT
Technological progress and changes in consumer behaviour following the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly accelerated digital transformation in the retail sector. Retailers are now required not only to respond to growing customer expectations for personalised experiences, but also to actively adopt advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence. At the same time, the level of AI adoption among SMEs in the European Union remains low (DESI 2022), putting the EU off track in achieving the Digital Decade target that over 75% of enterprises should be using AI by 2030. The wholesale and retail sector is among the least advanced in this respect, ranking close to the bottom in terms of AI uptake.
A key barrier is the shortage of relevant skills. The lack of employees with the knowledge and competences required to implement and use AI in business practice limits firms’ ability to improve efficiency and innovation, but also constrains their potential for green transformation and global competitiveness.
The INAIR project addresses this gap by focusing on the development of AI-related competences among micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the European retail sector. Its objective is to support firms in the practical use of artificial intelligence—both in operational and strategic areas—and to strengthen their adaptive capacity in the context of ongoing technological change.
The project is implemented by an international consortium (Lascò – coordinator, Team4Excellence, Italienische Handelskammer für Deutschland, BSD Srl, University of Cyprus, and the University of Warsaw). Dr hab. Renata Włoch, prof. UW serve as the leader of the Polish work package, responsible in particular for the research activities and design and development of educational components and their alignment with the needs of businesses.
Project activities include the identification of AI-related skills gaps in the retail sector across five European countries, the development and implementation of a scalable training programme, and the creation of educational resources supporting both training providers and enterprises.
The most important practical outcome of the project is a set of courses (OER) on AI applications in retail. These courses are designed as modular, accessible, and based on real business scenarios. They enable SME owners, managers, and employees to acquire practical skills that can be directly applied in everyday work—from data analysis and inventory management to customer engagement and operational optimisation.
The courses are complemented by a digital skills assessment tool, a sector-specific AI curriculum, and an e-learning environment supporting the learning process. Together, these elements form a coherent ecosystem for competence development, aimed at substantially increasing the capacity of European SMEs to adopt and effectively use artificial intelligence.
Publications
Włoch, R., Ślosarski, B., Paliński, M., Śledziewska, K., Teodorowicz, K, Łebkowska, W., (2024). AI Skills Needs and Gaps in the Retail Sector in Cyprus, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Romania. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.12793437