Gap CTO Sven Gerjets: artificial intelligence isn’t about replacing people, rather it’s about amplifying them
Gap Inc. recently brought hundreds of employees together at its San Francisco HQ for a conversation with Bret Taylor, Founder of Sierra and Chair of OpenAI.
In a LinkedIn post, Sven Gerjets, EVP, Chief Technology Officer at Gap, said: "Bret was generous, insightful, and genuinely inspiring as he shared stories from his journey - from building Google Maps and leading at Facebook and Salesforce, to now shaping the next era of AI."
Key takeaways for Gerjets:
AI isn’t about replacing people - it’s about amplifying them. “The real opportunity is freeing us up to imagine more, serve customers better, and move faster.”
Responsible innovation matters. Building AI sustainably - from trust to energy impact - is essential if it’s going to help both people and the planet.
Curiosity and creativity are timeless. “No matter your role, staying curious and learning how to use these new tools will unlock incredible opportunities.”
He concluded: “Huge thanks to Bret for spending time with our teams, and to everyone across Gap Inc. who joined live or on Zoom. It’s moments like this that remind me how energising it is to work at a company that leads with imagination, purpose, and heart."
2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS
AI was a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.
We received a record number of entries and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.
For a full rundown of all of the shortlisted entries, click here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC in Central London on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
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