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AI Shoppers Get First Say in South Korea’s Retail Race
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What if companies could test a product on thousands of virtual shoppers before it ever reached a real customer?
South Korean retailers are increasingly turning to AI-generated consumers, also known as synthetic consumers, to predict buying behaviour, test new products and improve shopping experiences. Instead of relying entirely on traditional surveys and focus groups, businesses are creating virtual shoppers that simulate how people might respond to products, prices, advertisements and store layouts.
How Are AI Shoppers Changing Retail?These virtual consumers are built using large language models and consumer data. They can simulate purchasing decisions, explore online shopping journeys and identify moments when customers might lose interest or abandon a purchase.
Several major Korean companies are experimenting with the technology:
- Lotte Members is developing an AI Twin Consumer using purchasing information from around 45 million accumulated L.Point membership users, alongside social media data.
- Coupang and Naver have explored synthetic consumers for market research and testing online shopping experiences.
- BGF Retail, the operator of convenience-store chain CU, is working on virtual store simulations to examine product displays, customer traffic and merchandise selection.
- Food companies including CJ Group, Daesang, Maeil Dairies and Pulmuone have participated in proof-of-concept projects involving synthetic-consumer technology.
The technology aims to help retailers understand more than basic demographics. Instead of simply creating a profile based on age or gender, AI twins can incorporate purchasing habits, preferences and consumption patterns.
Technology provider Intellicia says its synthetic consumers are developed using real interviews, surveys, commerce reviews and social media data. The company reports a 91.2% correlation with a 500-person real consumer survey in its benchmark testing.
However, synthetic shoppers are simulations, not actual customers. Their predictions still need to be tested against real-world behaviour.
Why Does This Matter?Retail is a fast-moving industry where trends can change within weeks. AI-powered simulations could help businesses test ideas more quickly, reduce research costs and identify weaknesses before spending money on production, advertising or store changes.
The development also raises an important question: as companies increasingly rely on virtual versions of consumers, how closely can AI really understand human preferences?
🎙️ In this episode: We explore how South Korea’s retail industry is experimenting with AI shoppers, why major companies are investing in synthetic consumers, and what this could mean for the future of shopping.
Sources & Further Reading- The Korea Herald — AI shoppers get first say in Korea's retail race, by Kan Hyeong-woo, published October 26, 2026.
This podcast episode is produced for AI, business news, commentary and public awareness. We do not own the original reporting, photographs, graphics or other third-party materials referenced. All original reporting and creative materials remain the property of their respective authors, publishers, photographers and copyright holders.
Our coverage is based on publicly available reporting. The Korea Herald and its reporter are credited for the original story. We do not claim ownership of third-party material, and the views expressed by the original authors do not necessarily represent the views or endorsements of this podcast.
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🎙️ Podcast Disclaimer & Article Credits
This podcast is presented for Korean Entertainment News reporting and informational purposes only. The reporting for these episodes are based on an article published by
multiple newspapers and websites including Soompi, The Korea times, AllKPop, KoreaBoo, and ChosunBiz. All these sources retains ownership of its original article and reporting. We do not claim ownership of the original material or any third-party audio used in this podcast. All rights to third-party content belong to their respective owners. This podcast does not necessarily reflect or endorse the views expressed in the original reporting.
🎙️ Audio Disclaimer: All episodes are voiced by Souha. The audio is not AI-generated and features real human narration.
🎧 Thank you for listening to our news podcast.
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