Unitas futureproofs wholesale with launch of its AI Academy

The UK’s largest wholesale buying group, Unitas, is to support its members and supplier partners to futureproof their businesses with the launch of its brand new AI Academy, it has announced at its annual conference in Marbella.

Open now, and offered in partnership with PAIR, an AI educational platform used by global brands, Unitas’ AI Academy offers members and supplier partners three courses, all led by experts and designed to give individuals a solid starting point to develop their confidence and capability in using AI in the wholesale sector.

The three courses - Fundamentals, Proficiency and Mastery - provide the “essential tools and techniques needed to support businesses to explore and adopt the latest AI opportunities in order for their teams to save time, improve efficiency and stay ahead of the competition,” it says.

“As the UK’s largest buying group, we wanted to lead the way in AI and provide our members and supplier partners with the skills and confidence to embrace AI and futureproof their business,” said Belinda Parkinson (left), head of marketing at Unitas.

“The Unitas AI Academy not only provides insight into how the latest technology can be utilised to elevate your business performance, but because the training is personalised and contextual to meet the specific needs of your team, your business and the wholesale sector, it uses real-world examples which means it delivers genuine business impact, which is invaluable,” Parkinson added.

Before officially launching the Academy, Unitas trialled the approach and content with a number of wholesale members, each with varying levels of experience using AI to ensure the Academy delivered results at each of the three levels.

“We’ve been delighted with how our members have benefitted from taking part in the trial,” Parkinson said. “The Academy has enabled their teams to elevate their understanding of AI from the same starting point so the whole business can benefit from the efficiencies AI can bring.”

Wholesale businesses such as Lioncroft Wholesale, RD Johns, Pricecheck, Robinsons Fresh Foods and Filshill have put the course through its paces, and responses were unanimously positive:

“I was initially sceptical of AI and how it would be beneficial, but this training has changed my view completely. For us as a business, utilising AI is going to be a gamechanger,” on wholesaler commented.

John Kinney, CEO at Unitas, concluded: “There’s no doubt AI will be driving our industry - and the wider world - forward at pace over the coming months and years and our members will no longer have to fear being left behind, thanks to the Unitas AI Academy.”