Book chapter · 2025

Digital Retail Innovations: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

Narasimha Rao VajjhalaiD, Sandip RakshitiD & Edna Mngusughun DengaiD

In Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative, Advances in Emerging Markets and Business Operations, pp. 75–86, Routledge India · Published

Scopus

Summary

Vajjhala et al. (2025) examined, in an overview chapter, seven technologies they identify as imperative for digital business: artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, the Internet of Things, natural language processing and big data. They describe each technology’s application in digital business with its benefits and challenges, discuss the interplay between the technologies and their potential impact on business strategy, operations and innovation, and conclude that the technologies can transform digital business but require careful consideration and planning in implementation. The abstract reports no empirical study or case data.

Practical implication. Managers and researchers can use a single overview that treats seven digital business technologies together, including how they interact, to plan implementation rather than evaluate each technology in isolation.

The Problem
Retail and digital businesses face a crowded field of technologies — AI, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, IoT, NLP and big data — with little guidance on how they interact.
The Methodology
Overview chapter: descriptive analysis of seven imperative technologies for digital business (AI, ML, DL, blockchain, IoT, NLP, big data), their applications, benefits, challenges and interplay.
The Core Finding
The chapter identifies seven technologies as imperative for digital business, explains each one’s applications, benefits and challenges, and shows how their interplay affects business strategy, operations and innovation.
The Citation
Vajjhala, N. R., Rakshit, S., & Denga, E. M. (2025). Digital Retail Innovations: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). In A. Behl & B. Sampat (Eds.), Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative (pp. 75–86). Routledge India. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003626640-8

The summary, key findings, methods, implications and relevance notes on this page are this website’s own description of the chapter, written from the published abstract and text. The official abstract and citation details are given further down.

Key findings

  1. Finding 1. Seven technologies are identified as imperative for digital business: AI, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, IoT, natural language processing and big data.
  2. Finding 2. For each technology the chapter gives an overview and its application in digital business, with the benefits and challenges associated with implementation.
  3. Finding 3. The chapter discusses the interplay between these technologies and their potential impact on business strategy, operations and innovation.
  4. Finding 4. It concludes that the technologies can transform digital business but require careful consideration and planning in their implementation.

Source: Vajjhala et al. (2025), In Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative, Advances in Emerging Markets and Business Operations, pp. 75–86, Routledge India. DOI: 10.4324/9781003626640-8

The chapter in detail

What question does this chapter answer?

Which technologies are imperative for digital business and retail — AI, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, IoT, NLP and big data — how do they interact, and what benefits and challenges accompany their implementation?

What did the chapter find, in detail?

The chapter provides an overview of each technology and its application in digital business, highlights the benefits and challenges of implementation, and discusses the interplay among the technologies and their potential impact on business strategy, operations and innovation. It aims to give readers an understanding of the technologies’ potential to transform digital business while stressing the need for careful consideration and planning.

Why does it matter?

Retail and other digital businesses are adopting several transformative technologies at once. A single overview that treats them together, including how they interact, helps managers and researchers plan implementation rather than evaluate each technology in isolation.

Methods and data

Design, data and results of Digital Retail Innovations: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
QuestionWhat are the imperative technologies for digital business and how do they affect strategy, operations and innovation?
DesignOverview / descriptive chapter
Technologies coveredArtificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, Internet of Things, natural language processing, big data
FocusApplications in digital business; benefits and challenges of implementation; interplay among technologies
ImplicationTransformative potential, with a need for careful consideration and planning in implementation
CitationVajjhala et al. (2025) · DOI 10.4324/9781003626640-8

Abstract

This book chapter discusses imperative technologies for digital business, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), natural language processing (NLP), and big data. The chapter provides an overview of each technology and its application in digital business, highlighting the benefits and challenges associated with their implementation. Additionally, the chapter discusses the interplay between these technologies, as well as their potential impact on business strategy, operations, and innovation. Through a comprehensive analysis of these imperative technologies, this chapter aims to provide readers with a deep understanding of their potential to transform digital business, while also highlighting the need for careful consideration and planning in their implementation.

Abstract as published in Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative.

Limitations

  • A descriptive overview chapter; no empirical study or case data are reported in the abstract.

Practical implications

  • Managers in retail and other digital businesses adopting several technologies at once can use a single overview of those technologies, including how they interact, to plan implementation rather than evaluating each technology in isolation.
  • Digital businesses implementing AI, machine learning, deep learning, blockchain, IoT, natural language processing or big data should give implementation careful consideration and planning, which the chapter concludes these technologies require.
  • Managers and researchers can consult the chapter’s discussion of the interplay between seven digital business technologies, including AI, blockchain and IoT, and their potential impact on business strategy, operations and innovation.

Drawn from Vajjhala et al. (2025), In Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative, Advances in Emerging Markets and Business Operations, pp. 75–86, Routledge India.

When this research may be relevant

This chapter may be relevant to literature on digital transformation in retail, AI and machine learning applications in digital business, the combined use of emerging technologies (blockchain, IoT, NLP, big data) in business strategy, and emerging-market perspectives on digital business operations.

Research topics addressed: digital retail; digital business; artificial intelligence; machine learning; deep learning; blockchain; Internet of Things; natural language processing; big data; digital transformation; business strategy; retail innovation

How to cite

APA 7
Vajjhala, N. R., Rakshit, S., & Denga, E. M. (2025). Digital Retail Innovations: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). In A. Behl & B. Sampat (Eds.), Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative (pp. 75–86). Routledge India. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003626640-8
MLA 9
Vajjhala, Narasimha Rao, et al. “Digital Retail Innovations: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).” Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative, edited by Abhishek Behl and Brinda Sampat, Routledge India, 2025, pp. 75–86. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003626640-8.
IEEE
N. R. Vajjhala, S. Rakshit, and E. M. Denga, “Digital Retail Innovations: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML),” in Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative, A. Behl and B. Sampat, Eds. Routledge India, 2025, pp. 75–86, doi: 10.4324/9781003626640-8.
BibTeX
@incollection{vajjhala2025digital,
  title = {Digital Retail Innovations: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)},
  author = {Vajjhala, Narasimha Rao and Rakshit, Sandip and Denga, Edna Mngusughun},
  booktitle = {Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative},
  series = {Advances in Emerging Markets and Business Operations},
  editor = {Behl, Abhishek and Sampat, Brinda},
  pages = {75--86},
  year = {2025},
  publisher = {Routledge India},
  doi = {10.4324/9781003626640-8},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003626640-8}
}
RIS
TY  - CHAP
TI  - Digital Retail Innovations: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
AU  - Vajjhala, Narasimha Rao
AU  - Rakshit, Sandip
AU  - Denga, Edna Mngusughun
ED  - Behl, Abhishek
ED  - Sampat, Brinda
T2  - Digital Transformation: A Business Imperative
T3  - Advances in Emerging Markets and Business Operations
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/04/16
SP  - 75
EP  - 86
PB  - Routledge India
SN  - 9781003626640
DO  - 10.4324/9781003626640-8
UR  - https://www.narasimharao.net/research/digital-retail-innovations-ai-machine-learning/
LA  - en
ER  - 
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