The second quarter of 2018 saw some interesting developments which will have long-lasting effects on the retail sector. GDPR came into effect in Europe, new players emerged in the checkout-free retail race, and e-commerce retailers expanded overseas. ABI Research’s Smart Retail Quarterly Update for 2Q 2018 explores the biggest trends which have continued and emerged over the period. The three-month summary takes a look at augmented reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, and computer vision, and the effect these technologies will have on the heavily disrupted retail sector.