The future, it seems, has a delightful habit of arriving even before we've consciously prepared for it. I was particularly intrigued by a recent article from The Economic Times titled "PDD, pre-decided delivery, is here!" PDD, pre-decided delivery, is here! - The Economic Times. The concept of 'pre-decided delivery' (PDD), where items are delivered before you even order them, let alone think about ordering them, truly captures the essence of what I've long envisioned as the ultimate evolution of commerce.
The article highlights a stunning breakthrough in cognitive-retail tech, leveraging predictive algorithms, quantum logistics, and AI-harnessed data. It mentions that this technology, developed by the Oxford Harvard Cornell School of Technology in Bathinda, allows for items like a packet of turmeric, a ukulele, or even a divorce lawyer's business card to appear at your doorstep without a prompt. While the mention of a divorce lawyer's card adds a humorous, albeit slightly unnerving, twist, the core technological advancement resonates deeply with my past reflections.
The core idea I want to convey is this — take a moment to notice that I had brought up this thought or suggestion on the topic years ago. I had already predicted this outcome or challenge, and I had even proposed a solution at the time. Now, seeing how things have unfolded, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. Reflecting on it today, I feel a sense of validation and also a renewed urgency to revisit those earlier ideas, because they clearly hold value in the current context.
Indeed, the concept of anticipating consumer needs and streamlining delivery has been a cornerstone of my thinking for years. In my blog "MA = DA x 4,000,000 ?" MA = DA x 4,000,000 ?, dating back to 2018, I delved into Mukesh Ambani's vision for Reliance Retail. I discussed a system where AI and sophisticated retail management software would track stock movement, calculate minimum stock levels, and automatically trigger re-orders from manufacturers. This wasn't just about efficient inventory; it was about ensuring availability before demand fully materialized, a clear precursor to PDD. I even spoke of deploying autonomous drones for precise delivery, an advanced logistics concept that aligns with the 'quantum logistics' mentioned in the PDD article.
My dialogue with Dhirubhai Ambani in 1990, where he encouraged me to venture into business and offered a seamless supply chain solution, already hinted at the power of integrated systems to remove friction from commerce. His foresight, and later Mukesh Ambani's ambition to integrate millions of Kirana stores into a Reliance Eco System, showcase a long-standing commitment to optimizing the retail supply chain, which is foundational for something like PDD.
Further, in "An Immersive & Personal Journey" An Immersive & Personal Journey, I explored how AI is transforming e-commerce from mere browsing to decisive buying. I highlighted tools like Myntra's Maya, designed to enhance engagement by suggesting actionable insights and decoding consumer preferences. This is exactly the kind of sophisticated predictive algorithm that PDD relies upon—understanding what a person is about to crave before they even articulate it. Frans Johansson (frans@themedicigroup.com)'s concept from "The Medici Effect," which I cited in that blog, of blending diverse fields to create groundbreaking innovation, perfectly describes the interdisciplinary leap PDD represents.
I also reflected on Jeff Bezos's vision for Amazon's delivery ambitions in "To Understand Amazon’s Delivery Ambitions, Consider the Long Game" To Understand Amazon’s Delivery Ambitions, Consider the Long Game, where the focus was on taking greater control over the final mile and reducing warehousing congestion by delivering efficiently. This mirrors the logistics-driven efficiencies PDD aims to achieve.
Moreover, my earlier blog "Jumping onto Reliance Retail Bandwagon" Jumping onto Reliance Retail Bandwagon discussed how Reliance Retail was already implementing many of the "Forces Shaping Indian Retail's New Decade," such as AI at scale for inventory management and automation for last-mile delivery, paving the way for the kind of predictive and pre-decided services we see emerging today.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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