原文How Germany’s Otto Uses Artificial Intelligence（上）
A GLIMPSE into the future of retailing is available in a smallish office in Hamburg. From there, Otto, a German e-commerce merchant, is using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve its activities. The firm is already deploying the technology to make decisions at a scale, speed and accuracy that surpass the capabilities of its human employees. 
Big data and “machine learning” have been used in retailing for years, notably by Amazon, an e-commerce giant. The idea is to collect and analyse quantities of information to understand consumer tastes, recommend products to people and personalise websites for customers. Otto’s work stands out because it is already automating business decisions that go beyond customer management. The most important is trying to lower returns of products, which cost the firm millions of euros a year. 
Its conventional data analysis showed that customers were less likely to return merchandise if it arrived within two days. Anything longer spelled trouble: a customer might spot the product in a shop for one euro less and buy it, forcing Otto to forgo the sale and eat the shipping costs.  
But customers also dislike multiple shipments; they prefer to receive everything at once. Since Otto sells merchandise from other brands, and does not stock those goods itself, it is hard to avoid one of the two evils: shipping delays until all the orders are ready for fulfilment, or lots of boxes arriving at different times. (236words)
解析How Germany’s Otto Uses Artificial Intelligence（上）
德国奥托公司如何使用人工智能（上）
A GLIMPSE into the future of retailing is available in a smallish office in Hamburg(汉堡). From there, Otto, a German e-commerce merchant, is using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve its activities. The firm is already deploying the technology to make decisions at a scale, speed and accuracy that surpass the capabilities of its human employees. 
从汉堡一间不大的办公室里便可瞥见零售业的未来。在那里，德国电子商务公司奥托集团（Otto）正利用人工智能来改善自身的经营。该公司利用这一技术来做决策，在规模、速度和准确性方面均超越人类员工。
重点单词
1.glimpse [gl?m(p)s] n. 一瞥，一看e.g. Some of the fans had waited 24 hours outside the hotel to catch a glimpse of their heroine.        某些追星族为了一睹女杰的风采已在宾馆外守候了24小时。 2.available [?'ve?l?b(?)l] adj. 可获得的e.g. Since 1978, the amount of money available to buy books has fallen by 17%.        自1978年以来，可供买书的钱已减少了17%。 3.smallish ['sm??l??] adj. 有点小的e.g. Some smallish firms may close.        一些比较小的公司可能会关闭。 4.merchant ['m??t?(?)nt] n. 商人e.g. Any knowledgeable wine merchant would be able to advise you.       任何一位内行的葡萄酒商人都能为你提出建议。 5.artificial [ɑ?t?'f??(?)l] adj. 人造的e.g. The city is dotted with small lakes, natural and artificial.        这座城市满是天然和人造的小湖泊。 6.intelligence [?n'tel?d?(?)ns] n. 智能e.g. Nerve cells, after all, do not have intelligence of their own.        神经元本身毕竟不具备智能。 7.deploy [d?'pl??] vt. 部署e.g. The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.        总统说他无意调遣地面部队。 8.accuracy ['?kj?r?s?] n. [数] 精确度，准确性e.g. Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of all information given in this leaflet.        已经采取了一切措施来保证这张传单上所有信息的准确。 9.surpass [s?'pɑ?s] vt. 优于，超过e.g. He was determined to surpass the achievements of his older brothers.         他决心超过他的几位哥哥的成就。 10.capability [?ke?p??b?l?t?] n. 能力（复数capabilities）e.g. People experience differences in physical and mental capability depending on the time of day.         视一天中的不同时候而定，人们会经历体能和智能上的差异。 专有名词 Hamburg 汉堡 汉堡是德国三大州级市（柏林，汉堡，不来梅）之一，德国第二大城市，也是德国最重要的海港和最大的外贸中心、德国第二金融中心，同时是德国北部的经济和文化大都市。有着“世界桥城”的美称。
Big data and “machine learning” have been used in retailing for years, notably by Amazon, an e-commerce giant. The idea is to collect and analyse quantities of information to understand consumer tastes, recommend products to people and personalise websites for customers. Otto’s work stands out because it is already automating business decisions that go beyond customer management. The most important is trying to lower returns of products, which cost the firm millions of euros a year. 
大数据和“机器学习”应用于零售业已有多年，电子商务巨头亚马逊是个突出的例子。这些技术被用于收集和分析大量信息，以便了解消费者的喜好、向人们推荐产品，并为顾客生成个性化的网站。奥托则独树一帜，对顾客管理之外的业务决策也实行了自动化。最重要的一项是努力减少退货——该公司每年因退货损失数百万欧元。
重点单词
1.retail ['ri?te?l]
 vt. 零售e.g. It originally retailed at $23.50.        它起初按$23.50的价格零售。 2.notably ['n??t?bli] adv. 显著地，特别地e.g. Many students were absent, notably the monitor.        许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。 3.giant ['d?a??nt] n. 大企业e.g. As we all know,Philips is the Dutch elctronics giant.        众所周知，飞利浦是荷兰电子业巨头。 4.quantity [k'w?nt?t?] n. 大量e.g. After some initial problems, acetone was successfully produced in quantity.        解决了最初的一些问题后，成功地生产出了大量丙酮。 5.recommend [rek?'mend] vt. 推荐e.g. I just spent a holiday there and would recommend it to anyone.        我刚在那儿度过一个假期，愿意向任何人推荐那里。 6.personalise ['p?:s?n?laiz] vt. 为个人特制(或专设)e.g. In a small company, you will receive more personalized service.        在一个小公司里，你将得到更多的个人化服务。 7.management ['m?n?d?m(?)nt] n. (对企业等组织的) 管理e.g. The zoo needed better management rather than more money.        动物园需要更好的管理而非更多的钱。 重点词组 stand out显眼 e.g. Every tree, wall and fence stood out against dazzling white fields.        每棵树、每堵墙、每道篱笆在白得耀眼的田野的映衬下都很显眼。
Its conventional data analysis showed that customers were less likely to return merchandise if it arrived within two days. Anything longer spelled trouble: a customer might spot the product in a shop for one euro less and buy it, forcing Otto to forgo the sale and eat the shipping costs.  
奥托的常规数据分析表明，商品如能在两天内送达，顾客就不太可能退货。一旦超过两天，麻烦就来了：顾客可能会在商店里发现这种商品比网购便宜一欧元，就买了下来。奥托将被迫撤销订单还要承担运费。
重点单词
1.conventional [k?n'ven?(?)n(?)l]
 adj. 常见的e.g. After a conventional opening remarks, he made a brilliant speech.       在一个常规的开场白后,他做了个很精彩的演讲。 2.merchandise ['m??t??nda?s] n. 商品；货物e.g. Among all the merchandise, I was interested in the cotton piece in particular.        在所有商品中，我对棉布特别感兴趣。 3.spot [sp?t] vt. 发现e.g. Jack failed to spot the error.        杰克没能发现这个错误。
But customers also dislike multiple shipments; they prefer to receive everything at once. Since Otto sells merchandise from other brands, and does not stock those goods itself, it is hard to avoid one of the two evils: shipping delays until all the orders are ready for fulfilment, or lots of boxes arriving at different times. 
但顾客也不喜欢分批发货，他们更喜欢同时收到所有东西。由于奥托销售的是其他品牌的商品，自己并无库存，这就难免出现以下两种糟糕情形之一：等所有订购商品都准备好后才发货，或者分成多个包裹在不同时间送达。
重点单词
1.multiple ['m?lt?pl]
 adj. 多部分的e.g. He died of multiple injuries.       他死于多处受伤。 2.shipment ['??pm(?)nt] n. 运送的货物 (量)e.g. After that, food shipments to the port could begin in a matter of weeks.       之后，到该港口的食物运送可能在几周之内开始。 3.brand [br?nd] n. 品牌，商标e.g. Winston is a brand of cigarette.        云斯顿是一种香烟品牌。 4.evil ['ivl] n. 不愉快的事；有害的事e.g. Higher taxes may be a necessary evil.       提高税率虽不是件令人愉快的事，但可能是必要的。 5.delay [d?'le?] vt. 延误；耽搁e.g. Various setbacks and problems delayed production.         各种各样的挫折和问题延误了生产。 6.fulfilment [ful'film?nt] n. 实现e.g. Visiting Angkor was the fulfilment of a childhood dream.         参观吴哥是一个儿时梦想的实现。
*说明：文章段落来源于《金融时报》，由MBA大师团队修改编辑，仅作英语交流学习使用。若对发布的推文存在疑问，感谢您与我们取得联系，我们将及时回复处理。