An interview by Amber Bradley, Editor-in-Chief at TalkLPnews
Patrick O’Leary has spent over two decades in retail technology, from pioneering RFID deployments at Sensormatic to exploring AI solutions at Dragonfruit. Now, as part of SAI Group’s North American expansion, he’s betting his career on what he calls “the most innovative technology that provides value to the entire organization.” We sat down with Pat to understand his journey and why he believes SAI represents the next evolution in retail intelligence.
Pat, you’ve had quite a journey in retail technology. Take me through your background and how you ended up at SAI Group.
Pat: You know, it’s been fascinating to watch this industry evolve. I spent over 25 years in the integration side of the business working with RFID, EAS and video solutions. Back then, we thought RFID was going to revolutionize everything – and it did, but in more focused ways than we initially imagined.
With this experience, I then moved to Dragonfruit AI because I could see that computer vision was the next big leap forward. While there I discovered that AI should be implemented with the main focus being on limiting user involvement while eliminating errors causing shrink or false positives.
Then I met Helen and the SAI team, and honestly, it was like seeing the future of retail technology. Here was a company that had solved the efficiency problem that’s plagued AI deployment, while building something that serves every department in the store. After over 20 years in this business, I knew I had to be part of it.
What specifically convinced you that SAI was different?
Pat: Three things really stood out. First, the economics are just fundamentally better. I’ve sold plenty of technology solutions that required massive infrastructure investments – $15,000, $20,000 per store just to get started. SAI delivers better results for a fraction of that cost. That changes everything about how retailers can approach AI.
Second, the scope is incredible. In my RFID days, we solved inventory problems. At my previous company, we focused on theft detection. But SAI is solving inventory problems and theft problems and safety problems and operational efficiency problems all from the same platform. It’s what every retailer has been asking for – technology that works across the entire organization.
But the third thing really sealed it for me – the technology actually works as advertised. I’ve seen too many impressive demos that fall apart in real-world conditions. SAI is deployed in over 800 stores, processing over a million transactions daily. Those aren’t pilot numbers; that’s proven, scalable technology.
You mentioned efficiency being a key differentiator. Can you elaborate on that?
Pat: Sure. Look, I’ve been through enough technology implementations to know that hardware costs are just the beginning. You’ve got ongoing maintenance, software licensing, support costs, power consumption – it all adds up quickly.
Most AI solutions require massive GPU arrays that consume enormous amounts of power and need specialized cooling systems. We were essentially talking about building a data center in every store. SAI’s approach is completely different – their AI runs efficiently on standard hardware without GPUs for most applications.
But here’s what really matters: this efficiency translates directly to faster ROI. Instead of waiting 18-24 months to see payback, retailers are seeing results in 4-6 weeks. That’s not just better math; that’s a completely different conversation with the C-suite.
How does SAI compare to what you experienced at your previous organizations?
Pat: SAI and my previous company are both working in computer vision AI, but the approaches are completely different. My previous company built a solid solution around human verification – the AI detects something, then human analysts review and verify it before sending alerts. That works, but it can be expensive to scale and that sometimes creates delays.
SAI took the opposite approach – they built AI that’s accurate enough to act autonomously. Their soft nudge technology is a perfect example. When someone doesn’t scan an item at self-checkout, the system shows them a video reminder and 91% of the time, they fix it themselves. No human intervention is needed.
The difference is reliability vs. efficiency. Both approaches can work, but SAI’s approach enables real-time prevention rather than after-the-fact investigation. And it does this across multiple use cases, not just theft detection.
Speaking of use cases, what resonates most with the retailers you’re talking to?
Pat: It depends on who I’m talking to, which is actually one of SAI’s biggest advantages. When I’m with loss prevention folks, we focus on self-checkout recovery and shoplifting detection – they love that we can prevent losses rather than just document them.
But operations people get excited about queue management and inventory monitoring. Store managers want to hear about safety incident detection and staff optimization. Finance teams care about the broader ROI across multiple departments.
The organized retail crime angle is huge right now too. SAI can track suspicious individuals across multiple store visits and share intelligence across a retailer’s entire network. That’s capabilities that used to require multiple different systems.
You’ve been in retail technology through several major shifts. How does the current AI wave compare?
Pat: This feels different from previous technology cycles I’ve lived through. With RFID, we were solving specific, well-defined problems – inventory accuracy, theft prevention. The value was clear but limited.
AI in retail has been overhyped for years, with lots of impressive demos that never translated to real business value. But we’re finally at the point where the technology is reliable enough and cost-effective enough to deploy at scale.
What makes SAI special is that they’re not just riding the AI wave – they’re delivering practical solutions to everyday retail problems. Store managers don’t care if it’s AI, machine learning, or magic – they want technology that makes their jobs easier and their stores more profitable.
What challenges do you see in bringing SAI to the North American market?
Pat: The biggest challenge is education. Retailers here have been burned by AI promises before, so there’s healthy skepticism. They want to see proof, not just presentations.
That’s actually working in our favor though. SAI has real customers, real deployments, and real results. Sainsbury’s, Iceland, Rossmann – these aren’t pilot programs, they’re full-scale deployments with measurable outcomes.
The other challenge is that American retailers often think bigger is better – more hardware, more features, more complexity. SAI’s elegant simplicity can actually be a harder sell initially. But once retailers see the results and the total cost of ownership, they get it quickly.
Where do you see retail technology heading in the next few years?
Pat: I think we’re moving toward comprehensive platforms rather than point solutions. Retailers are tired of managing fifteen different technology vendors that don’t talk to each other. They want strategic partners who can solve multiple problems with integrated solutions.
The efficiency breakthroughs we’re seeing with SAI are going to force the entire industry to rethink their approaches. If you can deliver the same capabilities for 20% of the cost, everyone else has to either adapt or become irrelevant.
I also think we’ll see much more focus on operational AI – using computer vision to optimize everything from product placement to staff scheduling. Loss prevention will always be important, but it’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Any advice for retailers evaluating AI solutions?
Pat: Ask hard questions about real-world performance. Don’t just look at the demo – ask about deployments, customer references, and total cost of ownership over three years.
And think strategically. If you’re going to invest in AI infrastructure, make sure it can grow with your needs. Single-purpose solutions might solve today’s problem, but they won’t help you tomorrow.
Most importantly, start with a pilot but think about scale. The retailers who succeed with AI will be the ones who can deploy it quickly and cost-effectively across their entire enterprise.
What excites you most about working with SAI?
Pat: After 20+ years in this industry, I finally found technology that delivers on all the promises we’ve been making. It’s efficient, it’s affordable, it’s comprehensive, it’s proven, and it actually makes retailers’ lives better.
But what really excites me is the potential. We’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible when you have reliable computer vision running across every camera in a store. The insights, the optimizations, the improvements to both operations and customer experience – it’s going to transform retail.
I’ve had the privilege of being part of several technology revolutions in retail. RFID changed inventory management. Self-checkout changed customer experience. I believe SAI is going to change everything.
How can retailers learn more about SAI?
Pat: The best thing is to see it in action with your own camera feeds. We can set up a demonstration using your actual store environment – not just a sanitized demo environment.
Reach out to me directly at patrick.oleary@saigroups.com or visit saigroups.com. We believe in proving value, not just promising it. Let us show you what comprehensive store intelligence can do for your business.
After two decades of selling retail technology, I can honestly say this is the most impactful solution I’ve ever worked with. The results speak for themselves.
Patrick O’Leary brings over 20 years of retail technology experience to SAI Group, including leadership roles at Sensormatic and Dragonfruit AI. His expertise spans RFID, EAS systems, and AI-powered video analytics across grocery, department store, and specialty retail verticals. He leads SAI Group’s North American expansion, helping retailers understand how comprehensive AI platforms can transform store operations beyond traditional loss prevention.
For more information about SAI Group’s store-wide active intelligence platform, visit saigroups.com or contact Patrick directly at patrick.oleary@saigroups.com.