First Insight brings conversational AI in retail

One of First Insight’s core claims is that Ellis makes consumer insight accessible outside of specialist analytics teams. Natural-language queries, the company argues, lets senior executives down engage with data with no waiting for analysis.

Democratisation of analytics is a recurring theme in a great deal of industry research. Gartner reports organisations which broaden access to analytics are more likely to see tool adoption and ROI. However, it cautions that systems should be governed to ensure outputs are interpreted correctly and stem from robust data.

First Insight maintains that Ellis retains the methodological rigour of its existing platform, while reducing friction at the point of decision. According to Greg Petro, the company’s chief executive, the goal is to bring predictive insight into the moment when decisions are actually made.

“For nearly 20 years, First Insight has helped retailers predict pricing, product success and assortment decisions by grounding them in real consumer feedback,” a company spokesperson said. “Ellis brings that intelligence directly into line review, early concept development and the boardroom, helping teams move faster without sacrificing confidence.”