.jpg)
With the implementation of AI across various departments, the FMCG giant Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has significantly boosted productivity and saved over 10,000 person-hours, claims Rohit Jawa, CEO and MD of HUL.
Addressing the ISA CEO conference virtually on Thursday, Jawa shared, “AI has been a great productivity booster. It simplifies repetitive tasks, from eight days to a quarter of a click of a button,” he said, emphasising how the technology is streamlining operations and increasing efficiency.
HUL has also introduced an AI-powered enhancement to its indigenous eB2B platform, Shikhar, aimed at empowering kirana stores and increasing order frequency.
“Shikhar is not just a platform—it is a digital ecosystem empowering small and medium retailers to thrive in an increasingly tech-driven marketplace,” Jawa explained. The platform allows retailers to access HUL’s entire product portfolio, place orders seamlessly, and receive personalized recommendations based on purchasing trends.
Launched in 2017, the Shikhar app now connects nearly 1.4 million (14 lakh) kirana stores across India, powered by 8,000 distributors across 22,000 markets. “These Kirana stores serve close to 100 million (10 crore) customers. HUL derives 60-70 percent of its revenue from Kirana store sales,” Jawa noted.
“With V-Shikhar, our AI-powered tool, retailers can generate customized video ads in under a minute, a game-changer for small businesses,” he added. This feature enables local shop owners to create professional-looking promotional content effortlessly, leveling the playing field between small retailers and large enterprises.
Shikhar’s AI-driven insights also help retailers optimise inventory management, ensuring they stock the right products at the right time. “By analysing sales patterns and regional demand fluctuations, Shikhar minimises stockouts and overstocking, helping retailers maximise profitability,” Jawa noted.
Beyond order management and marketing, Shikhar also enables credit assessment and financing for small retailers through AI-backed data analytics. “Many small businesses struggle with access to credit. Shikhar’s AI-powered credit scoring model helps retailers secure loans based on their purchasing and sales history, fostering financial inclusion,” he said.
The platform also offers real-time insights into pricing strategies, helping retailers adjust their margins dynamically based on consumer demand and competitor pricing. “With AI-driven dynamic pricing, retailers can stay competitive while ensuring sustainable profits,” Jawa added.
Shikhar’s AI-powered chatbot assists retailers with order tracking, product inquiries, and troubleshooting, reducing dependency on manual customer support. “By automating routine queries, we’re enabling faster resolution times and a seamless experience for our retail partners,” he stated.
Additionally, AI-powered systems are streamlining office operations by automating complex processes. “Previously, financial reporting took eight days per quarter; now, with AI, it takes less than a day,” he noted, underlining AI’s impact on productivity.
On the supply chain front, HUL is embracing Industry 4.0 principles, deploying AI-powered quality inspection and automation to enhance efficiency. “At our Dove plant, AI-driven systems have helped eliminate manual intervention, reducing wastage by 80 tons annually,” Jawa shared.
To address potential biases in AI models, HUL has set up AI governance as part of its broader AI framework.
Jawa also stressed the importance of data safety, security, and transparency in AI adoption.
“Our data really is the basis of our foundation. So, a clear strategy, and robust data foundation, is absolutely essential for a successful AI implementation. Companies need to ensure that they are collecting and using data in a transparent manner,” he noted.
Lauding the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act), 2023, and the draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, Jawa shared, “We know that India has formulated a very strong overlooking digital privacy and data act, and it's going to be absolutely essential not just from a governance point of view, but also from a risk point of view to make sure that the data we hold for our consumers and our partners and companies has the highest level of security and privacy. Otherwise, there is a risk it can potentially lead to discrimination or inequality.”
It's very important for businesses to ensure that their AI systems are designed with diversity and inclusion in mind. To address potential biases in AI models, HUL has set up AI governance as part of its broader AI framework, Jawa stated.
“HUL has set up AI governance, as part of our broader AI framework, to make sure that we address any bias, or any form of hallucinations of that matter, in the intellectual properties, well before we put it into the public,” Jawa shared.
He concluded, “This is very important for us to ensure that we maintain the trust of our consumers, and communities and companies. This is going to be absolutely critical because reputation is very important which gives us rights to serve our consumers, for decades, in the future.”
With India uniquely positioned to capitalise on AI advancements, thanks to digital infrastructure and widespread internet penetration, Jawa noted, “Nearly a billion people are now connected to the internet, and with smartphone penetration exceeding 700 million, AI has the potential to revolutionise business and consumer interactions.”
.jpg)
