Why Coca-Cola's CIO prioritizes big-impact AI pilot projects
Briefly

Coca-Cola's strategy for AI investments revolves around tangible revenue generation or efficiency improvements. Chief Information Officer Neeraj Tolmare emphasizes that all AI experiments must align with this goal. The company employs a novel algorithm to refine retail demand predictions, leveraging a combination of historical sales data, weather patterns, and geolocation. This approach aims to optimize inventory management, ensuring that retail outlets maintain appropriate stock levels. A pilot project across three countries demonstrated notable success, with sales witnessing an increase of 7% to 8% as a result of this predictive capability.
Neeraj Tolmare, the chief information officer at Coca-Cola, emphasizes that AI pilots must demonstrate potential for revenue generation or significant efficiency gains to gain approval.
The Coca-Cola leadership team mandates that AI experimentation is tied to real outcomes that significantly impact the company's operations, highlighting a focus on scalability.
Coca-Cola is implementing an algorithm that utilizes AI to predict retail demand more accurately, integrating historical data, weather patterns, and geolocation data.
The AI pilot has been tested in three countries, resulting in a sales increase of 7% to 8%, showcasing the effectiveness of the new demand prediction model.
Read at Fortune
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