From handwritten ledgers to predictive algorithms, Panagiotis Gezerlis takes us on a journey through the evolution of commerce, from neighborhood grocers to cloud-based AI. Blending humor, nostalgia, and critical reflection, this talk explores what we gain (and risk losing) as technology transforms the way we shop. Because even if the grocer becomes a bot, what we still crave is a human connection and no algorithm can replace that. Panayotis Gezerlis is the Founder and CEO of Convert Group, a leading Data and analytics company serving omnichannel retailers and brands across 11 countries. Under his leadership, Convert Group partners with top global brands such as Ahold Delhaize, Dr. Max, Atida Group, Kenvue, Bayer, Haleon, Mattel, L’Oréal, Kärcher, Sanofi, LG, P&G, Unilever, RB, Estée Lauder, and hundreds more.Before founding Convert Group in 2014, Panayotis was Head of Business Planning at Upstream, supporting the company’s expansion into 40 countries and overseeing sales offices in Rome, Beijing, Singapore, Athens, Bucharest, Toronto, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro. His prior leadership roles include heading ELTRUN’s e-consulting unit, serving as CEO of Buldoza—one of Greece’s fastest-growing online retailers—and leading commercial strategy as Chief Commercial Officer at VoiceWeb, a pioneer in speech recognition technology.An active contributor to the industry, Panayotis is the co-author of two exit strategy books, holds board seats in multiple retail tech and ad tech startups, and was the first Director General of the Greek eCommerce Association. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx