Dive Brief:
- Puma has created its first AI Store Concierge, a multilingual AI assistant that provides advice to Puma’s customers, the shoe brand said in a press release shared with Retail Dive on Friday. At launch, the tool is focused on performance running products.
- Stored within a large digital display, the concierge tool can detect the language a customer speaks, including French, Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin and English. Through a conversation in that language, the tool can then provide information about product fit, performance insights and whether an item is in stock.
- The company will debut the AI concierge at its Las Vegas flagship store this spring. Puma intends for the tool to work in concert with store associates, who can use the information the concierge gathered to offer customers more personalized advice.
Dive Insight:
As retail’s AI race heats up, Puma is embedding the technology into an in-store interactive display. The company teamed up with Google Cloud and LiveX.AI, a holographic AI agent provider, to create the device.
“Puma will be one of the first companies to introduce an AI Concierge in a store,” Rui Pedro Silva, vice president of direct-to-consumer technology at Puma, said in a press release. “By integrating this technology directly into the store environment, we’re making product exploration faster, more intuitive, and more accessible. With this first example of the AI Concierge, we will gather feedback and explore how to further scale this technology on our direct-to-consumer channels.”
Puma is launching its concierge tool in Las Vegas almost a year and a half after opening its flagship store in the city. The 25,000-square-foot store features an F1 racing simulator, an interactive arcade and a customization studio where shoppers can personalize their clothing and shoes, according to a 2024 press release.
Alongside changes to its store experience, Puma has been trying to refresh its brand. About a year ago, the company revealed its largest global campaign to date across digital, social, TV, retail and other channels, as it looked to evolve its brand identity and attain long-term growth. Earlier this year, Puma appointed Nadia Kokni as vice president of global brand marketing, bringing prior experience at brands such as Adidas, JD Sports, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and H&M.
The turnaround efforts come as the retailer continues to struggle financially. After cutting 500 roles in 2025, Puma said last October that it planned to reduce its global corporate workforce by more than 900 positions by the end of this year. In its Q4 earnings report in February, the footwear and apparel brand reported a 27% year-over-year drop in net sales. The company’s 2025 net sales fell 13% from a year prior.
Interested in helping restore the brand is Anta Sports, which in January acquired a stake of more than 29% in Puma for 1.5 billion euros (about $1.8 billion at the time) in cash. Anta Sports said it isn’t attempting a takeover of Puma but will consider deepening the partnership in the future.
