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Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Brand First: How Retailers Win Hearts, Wallets & The Algorithm
Chatbot conversation Ai Artificial Intelligence technology online customer chatbot, ... More robot application, OpenAI generate. Futuristic assistant on internet. Showing up where your shoppers actually look has always been tough—and today it's tougher. Search isn't what it used to be; you can't rely on keywords, links, or banner noise to climb the results. Discovery now flows across search engines, social feeds, retail media networks, marketplaces, and AI assistants that stitch signals together in real time. In this AI‑curated path to purchase, retailers win by being smarter—not louder—through structured data, credible content, and a clear, consistent brand that shoppers trust and algorithms surface. Generative AI enters the conversation Generative AI (gen AI) is reimagining the digital shopping experience by making the product search experience conversational. It used to be that consumers searched for a brand or a product by using brand names, or information such as pricing to pull up results. But now, they can ask for advice and recommendations. Accenture's recently published Consumer Pulse Survey of more than 18,000 people across 14 countries, found that approximately half of consumers have made a purchase decision with the support of gen AI—making it the fastest-growing source of buying advice in the past year. And for active users— defined as people using gen AI tools at least weekly for personal and/or professional reasons, it's now the second highest source for product recommendations after physical stores. The survey also found gen AI is no longer just a tool for speed and personalization—it's becoming a confidant and trusted advisor. Accenture's survey found that more than one-third (36%) of active gen AI users now consider the technology 'a good friend,' with a large proportion (93%) relying on it for personal development advice and 1 in 10 calling it their most trusted source for purchase decisions. When consumers trust AI as they would a close friend, every interaction becomes an opportunity to deepen—or lose—that relationship. Personalized recommendations A great example of tapping AI to deeper consumer relationships is AI-powered multi-brand beauty startup, Noli, founded and backed by the L'Oréal Groupe. Noli—which stands for (No One Like I')—is on a mission to empower every beauty consumer with their own intelligent, trusted advisor. Noli is reinventing how people discover and shop beauty products by addressing the number one pain point for beauty customers—too many options, and lack of unbiased, often conflicting, advice in the market. Noli cuts through the beauty noise with AI diagnostics trained on 1M+ skin data points and thousands of product formulations. It decodes each user's beauty profile and delivers confident product picks to their door. Co‑Founder & CEO Amos Susskind says, 'Beauty is full of choice, opinions, claims, noise, and emotional stakes, making it the perfect category for personalization and expert guidance.' Master the large language model ecosystem It is easy to see how large language models (LLMs) are fast becoming the new influencers. According to Accenture's survey consumers are already using gen AI to inform purchase decisions, making it the fastest-growing source for recommendations. To avoid being misrepresented, or excluded from consumer consideration entirely, retailers need to take an active role in the LLM ecosystem – a network of models, platforms, and data sources. Winning now means optimizing for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) as well as classic SEO—because AI assistants don't crawl, index, and rank like traditional search; they synthesize, summarize, and represent your brand. Feed them structured, high‑quality, rights‑cleared content that's current and consistent; refresh it often; tag it so context is clear; and monitor AI surfaces to correct drift. Do that, and your brand story shows up accurately—and gets recommended—across AI chats, agents, and shoppable answers. Prepare for Agentic Personal Shoppers Then there's the newer member of the AI family, agentic AI, a technology that can act autonomously on behalf of consumers—making purchases without the traditional shopping journey. In fact, 75% of consumers told Accenture they are open to using a trusted AI-powered personal shopper that understands their needs. When shoppers delegate decisions to agentic shopping agents, AI effectively becomes the buyer of record. Traditional retail media—banner ads, paid search slots, even your website—can be skipped as agents source the 'best fit' directly from data feeds, reviews, inventory, and price APIs. That's the threat: a frictionless race to the lowest acceptable price. The opportunity? Make sure your brand carries machine‑readable reasons to choose you—quality signals, experience benefits, sustainability creds, fit/usage guidance, service guarantees—that matter to humans and to their agents. Give AI more to weigh than price, and you stay in the basket. The trust imperative Consumers are sceptical: 41% say AI content can feel inauthentic and 45% say it lacks a human touch (Accenture). Trust hinges on transparent, consent‑based data use—shoppers are used to tuning their own recommendation feeds and don't want their data repurposed in ways that surprise them. Protect that trust with strong cybersecurity and data governance. Keep humans in the loop so AI reflects brand values and delivers the service customers expect. The win: AI experiences that are personal and trustworthy sustained by ongoing investment in tech, training, and teams that keep great retail brands real. The time to act is now The investments retailers and brands make today will determine whether they remain visible, relevant, and indispensable in an AI-driven world of tomorrow. While some retailers debate whether to embrace AI, others are already reshaping the industry by using AI to become more empathetic, more responsive, and more valuable to consumers than ever before. But they'll do so while maintaining the human touch—be that the store associate or customer service agent—that makes brands memorable and meaningful. The question is: will your brand be among them?
Medscape
27-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Pollution, Weather Linked to Atopic Dermatitis
TOPLINE: In a meta-analysis of 42 studies, exposure to air pollutants and high temperatures was associated with higher risk for clinic visits and worsened symptoms in adults with atopic dermatitis. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review of 42 studies from 14 countries between 1985 and 2024. They included cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies that examined associations between environmental exposures and atopic dermatitis outcomes in adults. Researchers assessed exposure to ambient air pollutants: Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), particulate matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less (PM 10 ), PM with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM 2.5 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), ozone (O 3 ), temperature, precipitation, sunlight or solar radiation, humidity, secondhand smoke, seasonal variations, and pollution from traffic or industrial sources. TAKEAWAY: Outpatient clinic visits for atopic dermatitis increased with every 10-µg/m 3 increase in PM 10 (risk ratio [RR], 1.008; 95% CI, 1.003-1.012; high certainty evidence) and SO 2 (RR, 1.029; 95% CI, 1.020-1.039; high certainty evidence). increase in PM (risk ratio [RR], 1.008; 95% CI, 1.003-1.012; high certainty evidence) and SO (RR, 1.029; 95% CI, 1.020-1.039; high certainty evidence). High temperatures were also associated with moderate (OR, 2.39; 95%CI, 1.40-4.09) and severe atopic dermatitis (OR, 3.91; 95% CI, 2.20-6.96). Higher precipitation and humidity levels demonstrated probable associations with increased atopic dermatitis severity. Secondhand smoking exposure and traffic-related pollution showed probable associations with increased atopic dermatitis prevalence. IN PRACTICE: 'Increased air pollution and other environmental factors were associated with increased prevalence and activity of atopic dermatitis,' the authors wrote. These findings, they added, 'have direct public health implications, adding to the impetus to decrease pollution and mitigate climate change worldwide.' SOURCE: The study was led by Megan Park, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was published online on June 25 in JAMA Dermatology. LIMITATIONS: Limitations included heterogeneity in air pollutant measurement and reporting across regions. Only moderate-to-severe disease was likely captured. Socioeconomic data was not available and inconsistent lag reporting restricted analysis of short-term and long-term effects. DISCLOSURES: The authors did not disclose any funding source. One author reported receiving consulting fees and research grants from the British Journal of Dermatology, American Academy of Dermatology, Canadian Dermatology Today, National Eczema Association, Eczema Society of Canada, Canadian Dermatology Foundation, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, National Institutes of Health, and Physicians Services Incorporated Foundation. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aleph Hospitality takes over management of 26 ONOMO hotels
Lifestyle hotel group African Hotel Development has entered a management agreement with Aleph Hospitality for 26 ONOMO-branded hotels across 14 African countries. This decision aligns with the company's strategy to concentrate on brand development and asset management while aiming to double Onomo's scale within the next five years. Aleph Hospitality founder and managing director Bani Haddad said: 'This partnership allows us to scale our operations and further enhance efficiency across markets. 'We are proud to be selected as the operator of Onomo Hotels and are committed to delivering exceptional value for all stakeholders — guests, owners, teams, and partners alike.' The agreement with Dubai-based Aleph Hospitality marks a significant expansion for both companies. This move not only doubles Aleph Hospitality's portfolio but also sets it on course to achieve its target of managing 50 hotels by the end of this year. The deal solidifies Aleph's position as an independent hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa and is in line with African Hotel Development's business realignment strategy. African Hotel Development CEO Julien Renaud said: 'The direction we are taking with Aleph Hospitality reflects our strategic decision to separate operations from ownership and brand development. 'By delegating hotel operations to a trusted partner, we retain full strategic control over the future of the Onomo brand while creating the conditions for faster growth and premiumisation.' Aleph Hospitality will enhance its operations in more than ten African countries, launching four new regional offices and initiating cluster operations in several key markets such as Kenya and Morocco. Haddad added: 'Africa represents one of the most dynamic and promising hospitality markets in the world today and has been at the core of our growth strategy. 'We're proud to further deepen our presence and bring our unique management approach to more communities across Africa.' Earlier this year, Aleph Hospitality expanded its portfolio by signing a management agreement for the hotel tower at The Address in Accra, Ghana. This marked the second partnership between Aleph Hospitality and DevtracoPlus, part of the Devtraco Group in Ghana. "Aleph Hospitality takes over management of 26 ONOMO hotels" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Zawya
18-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
African Hotel Development Group and Aleph Hospitality in largest hotel management portfolio deal in the region
FHS Africa, Cape Town – African Hotel Development, the leading African lifestyle hotel group, real estate developer, and owner of the ONOMO brand, has entrusted Aleph Hospitality with the management of 26 ONOMO-branded hotels across 14 African countries. This strategic move is fully in line with African Hotel Development's business realignment strategy. By appointing Dubai-based Aleph Hospitality as manager of its hotel portfolio, African Hotel Development reaffirms its ambition to sharpen its focus on brand development and asset management, while accelerating the expansion of ONOMO's footprint, with the objective of doubling the brand's scale within five years. This transaction represents a new chapter in Aleph Hospitality's growth trajectory, doubling its portfolio and enabling the group to reach its goal of operating 50 hotels by the end of 2025, cementing its position as the leading independent hotel management company across the Middle East and Africa. 'The direction we are taking with Aleph Hospitality reflects our strategic decision to separate operations from ownership and brand development,' said Julien Renaud, CEO of African Hotel Development. 'By delegating hotel operations to a trusted partner, we retain full strategic control over the future of the ONOMO brand while creating the conditions for faster growth and premiumization, especially for our upscale offerings, ONOMO Allure and ONOMO Collection.' Through this transaction, Aleph Hospitality will reinforce its presence in 10+ African countries, with the opening of four new regional offices and the rollout of cluster operations in several key markets, including Kenya and Morocco where Aleph is already active. 'This partnership allows us to scale our operations and further enhance efficiency across markets,' said Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality. 'We are proud to be selected as the operator of ONOMO Hotels and are committed to delivering exceptional value for all stakeholders — guests, owners, teams, and partners alike.' "Africa represents one of the most dynamic and promising hospitality markets in the world today and has been at the core of our growth strategy. We're proud to further deepen our presence and bring our unique management approach to more communities across Africa,' added Haddad. Media Contacts: For information about African Hotel Development, visit: or contact Sandia Nassila at For information about Aleph Hospitality, visit or contact Anne Bleeker at anne@
Medscape
06-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Obefazimod Shows Long-Term Benefits in Ulcerative Colitis
Obefazimod 50 mg once daily demonstrated efficacy in patients with moderate to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC), with 52.5% achieved clinical remission at 96 weeks of open-label maintenance treatment with improvement in endoscopy scores and faecal calprotectin levels. METHODOLOGY: Obefazimod is an investigational oral small molecule that enhances the expression of a single micro-RNA regulating the inflammatory response. In a phase 2b, randomised placebo-controlled 8-week induction trial, obefazimod at three different doses achieved the primary endpoint in patients with moderate to severely active UC. This 96-week open-label maintenance study was conducted including 217 patients (mean age, 42.1 years; 61.3% men) with moderate to severely active UC who were recruited at 69 study centres in 14 countries. All participants received 50 mg obefazimod once daily, regardless of their previous treatment and irrespective of their clinical response at the end of the induction trial. After week 48, patients who showed clinical response, defined as a decrease in the modified Mayo score ≥ 2 points and ≥ 30% from baseline plus a decrease in the rectal bleeding subscore ≥ 1 or absolute rectal bleeding subscore ≤ 1, continued the treatment up to week 96. Efficacy endpoints included rates of clinical remission, clinical response, endoscopic improvement, and endoscopic remission, along with the change in the stool frequency and faecal calprotectin levels from baseline of the maintenance study, assessed using non-responder imputation for missing data. Safety measures comprised the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), treatment-emergent serious adverse events (TESAEs), discontinuations due to TEAEs, drug-related SAEs, and clinically significant laboratory abnormalities. TAKEAWAY: Of the 217 patients, 164 completed the study at week 96. By weeks 48 and 96, 81.6% and 72.8% of patients achieved a clinical response and 54.8% and 52.5% achieved clinical remission, respectively; endoscopic improvement was seen in 59.0% of patients and endoscopic remission seen in 35.9% at week 96. Faecal calprotectin levels decreased from a median of 204.7 µg/g at baseline in the maintenance study to 89.6 µg/g at week 96, and 61.9% of patients achieved levels below 150 µg/g at week 96. At both weeks 48 and 96, the proportion of patients who achieved the efficacy endpoints was numerically higher among those who showed a clinical response at week 8 than among those who did not. A proportion of patients also achieved corticosteroid-free endoscopic improvement and remission. Overall, 68.2% of patients experienced at least one TEAE, with the most common being COVID-19 infection (14.3%) and headache (11.5%). TESAEs occurred in 8.3% of patients, and 7.8% discontinued because of TEAEs. No new safety signals or clinically meaningful changes in laboratory parameters were noted. IN PRACTICE: "[The study] findings suggest that long-term treatment with obefazimod provides continued improvement of clinical symptoms of the disease," the authors of the study wrote. "Although the central evaluation of endoscopy data reduced the risk of bias in this open-label study, the results must be interpreted with caution due to the absence of a control group," they added. SOURCE: This study was led by Severine Vermeire, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. It was published online on May 26, 2025, in the Journal of Crohn's and Colitis . LIMITATIONS: Steroid cycling was not considered in the non-responder imputation method, which may have limited the interpretation of corticosteroid-free outcomes. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by Abivax S.A. Seven authors reported being employees of Abivax. One author reported owning stocks in Abivax. Several authors reported receiving consultancy and/or speaking fees and grants and being consultants and advisory board members for various pharmaceutical companies.
