One distribution center. 18 different languages spoken on the floor. That’s not an edge case anymore, and it’s exactly why real-time translation might be the most practical and pragmatic AI use case in retail right now.
In this clip from our Zebra ZONE 2026 customer conference recap, we share the stat that reframed it for us. Almost 68% of frontline workers in the US speak a language other than English at home, and nearly half of frontline mistakes trace back to a language miscommunication. When you put real-time AI translation right on the device, English in and Spanish out, for example, and it's live, you remove a daily source of errors and stress.
Ricardo had lunch with a leader from Burlington, a retailer where every sale happens in the store, so the associate is everything. She told him real-time AI translation was one of the biggest wins across their store teams and a major reason for adoption. That’s the tell. When frontline workers adopt something this fast, it’s because it solves a real problem.
Here’s our take. This is what pragmatic AI looks like. It makes frontline workers more capable and the workplace more human at the same time.
Watch to see how real-time translation is keeping teams connected on the job.
From our bonus episode on Zebra Technologies ZONE 2026 Customer Conference.
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from *The Retail Razor Show* #podcast
*S6:E8 Frontline Workers Are Overwhelmed: Can On-Device AI Help?*
*Released on June 13, 2026*
*Chapters*
00:00 Language Barriers on the Floor
00:19 AI Translation on Mobile Devices
00:31 Burlington’s Adoption Story
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