Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a global leader in digitising and automating frontline workflows, recently announced the launch of its inaugural Frontline AI Summit on 18 Sept. This event will emphasise how AI-driven solutions are transforming frontline operations, improving productivity and enabling a smarter, more connected frontline workforce.

Why AI Matters to Frontline Operations
AI has been primarily developed with corporate environments in mind, enhancing productivity for those seated behind desks. Yet the frontline – where workers operate in dynamic, fast-paced settings – presents its own unique challenges and opportunities.

Zebra Technologies’ focus is on making frontline work more productive by integrating AI seamlessly into their daily routines, streamlining processes and reducing complexity. By enabling frontline teams to work more efficiently and effectively, AI frees up valuable time so they can concentrate on what matters most: delivering exceptional service to customers.

Frontline environments are diverse, demanding quick and precise decision-making. Zebra’s AI solutions aim to level the playing field, ensuring every worker performs at their optimal capacity. Imagine AI systems providing instant answers with a simple barcode scan, image capture or voice prompt, boosting productivity without interrupting the workflow. This vision is central to Zebra’s strategy – AI as a companion and enhancement tool.

“At Zebra, we’ve been building intelligence into our solutions for decades,” said Stuart Hubbard, Senior Director of AI and Advanced Development, Zebra Technologies. “With the advancement of AI, the critical question facing organisations isn’t if they should embrace AI; it’s how they can harness it.”

Hubbard is based at Zebra’s EMEA innovation and research hub and will speak at the summit on the topic of edge AI. “Our Frontline AI Summit is a pivotal moment to demonstrate how AI is already transforming the frontline. With millions of our devices already in the hands of frontline teams along with modern applications from Zebra Workcloud and our robust ecosystem of independent software vendors (ISVs) delivering value across a wide set of workflows, we’re empowering workers with smarter tools to redefine how work gets done,” said Hubbard.  

Thought Leadership and Value Creation
The Zebra Frontline AI Summit is an exclusive invitation-only event aimed at senior leaders who are focusing on the deployment of AI technologies in frontline operations. It will feature renowned AI thought leaders and Zebra executives who will share real-world use cases on how AI is already impacting some of the most critical workflows across industries. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how AI-powered tools—such as Zebra’s intelligent devices and software—are driving better decision-making, improving efficiency, and addressing labor challenges.

Zebra’s investment in strategic acquisitions and research and development mean it now offers an expansive AI portfolio across hardware and software solutions, to meet the needs of industries ranging from retail and logistics to manufacturing: 

• Zebra Mobile Computing AI Suite provides a more efficient, simplified way for developers and ISVs to quickly get AI applications running successfully on mobile computers.
• Zebra Companion is a comprehensive suite of AI agents specifically designed to empower retail frontline workers relating to standard operating procedures, sales, device management, and merchandising using augmented reality and computer vision.
• Zebra Aurora Deep Learning is an add-on tool to further enhance the outputs of Zebra’s Aurora machine vision software with a set of industrial-quality deep learning-based tools.
• Zebra’s expanding Workcloud Software solutions suite including Workcloud Pricing & Allocation, which uses the power of AI to optimise pricing decisions for fashion and softline retailers.
• VisibilityIQ Foresight applies machine learning techniques to process data points from millions of frontline devices to generate predictive intelligence and actionable insights to run business operations more efficiently.
• Zebra Mobile Dimensioning enables dimensioning of most cuboidal and non-cuboidal parcels, leveraging the camera and time of flight sensor in select Zebra mobile computers together with AI and Zebra’s proprietary algorithms to virtually reconstruct and measure irregularly shaped items.

Building and Integrating AI: A Balanced Approach
Attendees to the summit, held in Nashville, TN, will hear how developing AI solutions for the frontline requires both innovative creation and thoughtful integration into existing workflows, recognising the distinct roles of builders and users in this process.

Builders develop tools that leverage enterprise data and connect to operational systems, while users, empowered by intuitive interfaces, contribute to the system’s evolution. This dual approach ensures AI becomes a seamless part of daily operations, supporting workers in practical and transformative ways.

Zebra’s Investment in Sensory AI
Zebra Technologies has long invested in sensory AI – technologies that enable machines to analyse the environment on the edge so that they may respond accordingly. This foundational work in vision, voice and machine learning paves the way for AI applications that streamline processes and enhance decision-making. As AI becomes more user-friendly, Zebra is unlocking new possibilities for real-time insights and operational efficiency.

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