• FingerLakes1.com reports that Wegmans "is piloting a new shopping system aimed at replacing its discontinued self-checkout app, SCAN. The grocer is testing Shopic, an artificial intelligence-powered 'frictionless' shopping system in stores in the Buffalo and Rochester areas.
"The system consists of a rectangular device that attaches to the top of a shopping cart and has a long bar equipped with cameras and sensors. As customers shop, the computer identifies and logs each product, giving a running price total and making adjustments as products are removed."
The story notes that "Wegmans discontinued its SCAN app due to a high theft rate, and the Smart Shopping Cart system is expected to solve the issue by preventing shoplifting."
• From CNBC, a story about how one of Amazon's "key air cargo operators" says that "the e-commerce giant is scaling back on flights this year, citing lower demand and slower economic growth.
"Air Transport Services Group, which runs a significant portion of Amazon’s air cargo fleet, said it expects to operate Boeing 767 freighters dedicated to servicing Amazon and DHL at reduced schedules and less flight time per aircraft."
The story says that "air cargo rates, which surged in recent years due to port congestion and high demand for fast deliveries, have slumped. The Baltic Air Freight Index was down more than 33% on Jan. 30 from a year earlier. The International Air Transport Association said last month that air cargo demand in November was down nearly 14% from the year-ago period, while capacity fell 1.9%."
