The annual Conexxus conference kicked off on Sunday, April 28, in Arlington, Texas. Bringing together great minds from the convenience store industry, the conference touches on a variety of pertinent topics, including artificial intelligence (AI), the digital landscape and more.

Attendees on Sunday were invited to a welcome dinner at conference location Live! by Loews Arlington. Gray Taylor, executive director of Conexxus, welcomed guests on Monday morning.

The Road Map

Following Taylor’s opening, he and Doug New, chief information officer of Nouria Energy, began the day with a conversation in “Voices of the Retailers: Roadmap Driven by Necessity,” a session where the pair discussed where c-store retailers are at currently and where they can be a few years from now.

One of the primary topics of concern is data — how to collect it and how to use it.

“We realized we needed to be much more data driven; our tech stack was updated … but it’s really a long journey,” said New.

It’s also worth considering the process of training employees on how to analyze and use relevant data.

“Becoming data aware at all the levels, we need to … get that depth of knowledge and awareness about how to use that data. …The biggest challenge that we’re going to face for the organization is cultural,” said New.

AI is a useful tool for gathering data. New mentioned how AI can be used to detect forecourt traffic, how long someone sits at a charger, how long they’re in the store and what they’re doing. The question, New continued, is figuring out how to quantify the value of these tools.

New also mentioned the concept of a data governance committee. It’s important to decide what kind of data a retailer wants, why a retailer wants it, what’s the value of the data and if it’s possible to actually acquire that data.

Especially considering how other channels are using data, c-store retailers need to stay ahead of the game and prioritize their data strategy plans.

“I think we need to have a more coherent strategy that thinks (about) the future. …We need to be out there fighting the frontlines,” said Taylor.

AI and Its Uses

David Ezell, director of new initiatives at Conexxus, and Alan Lockett, AI consultant, followed this session with “Recipes for Success With AI: A Beginner’s View.”

In the c-store space, many retailers are still exploring AI and determining how they can use it. Some of the areas AI is already being used are marketing, customer support, troubleshooting, security and training.

Large language models (LLMs) are useful AI tools. LLMs can assist with answering questions, summarization, translation and code generation, Lockett noted. Additionally, he pointed out how retrieval-augmented generation, another type of tool, can be useful for incorporating large bodies of information, managing context length and assembling generative pipelines.

Ezell reiterated the importance of protecting your data and carefully curating AI models.

What’s Next?

The conference will continue through Thursday, May 2, with working and committee meetings, additional education sessions, and evening receptions.

The education sessions include topics such as EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa), AI, digital success and more.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to watch the Texas Rangers play the Washington Nationals on April 30.

The 2025 Conexxus conference will be held from Jan. 26-30, 2025, in Tucson, Ariz.