What does the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing have in common with the technology at NRF 2019 Retail’s Big Show? The National Retail Federation was founded in 1911 and 57 years after its founding the first men landed on the moon which was July 20th, 1969. The Apollo program developed technologies that connected humanity with its dreams and created the core technologies that are driving the pace of change fifty years later. Robotics, computer hardware and software, nanotechnology, aeronautics, location technologies, micro-electromechanical systems, supercomputers and microcomputers, software and microprocessors – were also created using technology developed by NASA. The technologies changed the face of retail globally.

Intel was a product of the Apollo program. New chips produced by Intel today and others are driving the artificial intelligence revolution. These chips will power embedded A.I., machine learning, digital assistants and voice technologies. The new chips will connect AI to household appliances, powering meaningful and coordinated interactions. The chip sets also have the potential to further transform the retail industry.

The transformative impact of AI and the role out and capabilities for 5G will provide enough bandwidth to increase the quality and volume of video consumption, enable self-driving cars and the car as a media platform. It will make interactions faster and seamless. The rise of smart cities and location-based advertising will also be fueled by AI as will medical therapeutics and new health applications. Digital therapeutics that enhance traditional medical practices and encouraging behavioral change and stand-alone direct therapy are some of the services available with the roll-out of 5G.

These developments also impact the pace of change in the retail industry on many levels. NRF 2019 Retail’s Big Show offers the premiere venue to understand the pace of change for the retail industry each year.

The technical innovations created by the Apollo moon landing have had vast impact in the last 50 years. Today technologies and companies created to support the Apollo program such as chips and software will drive the pace of change today and for the next 50 years. The NRF 2019 Retail’s Big Show offers the opportunity to see, feel and touch all of these creations in one location.