Journal of Data Acquisition and Processing Vol. 38 (1) 2023 4006 IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A CRM TOOL IN THE INDIAN RETAIL SECTOR IN THE POST-PANDEMIC ERA Diwakar Chaudhary Research Scholar, Noida International University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India Email id: diwakarchaudhary2@gmail.com Dr. Subhash Kumar Verma Professor & Director, Noida International University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India Email id: svarma194@gmail.com ABSTRACT The Covid-19 outbreak has significantly affected the retailing industry. Brick-and-mortar merchants were forced online to remain in business, while online retailers provided them with AI, ML, and other smart technologies to attract, engage, and transact with customers. Due to lockdown and physical distance, individuals began shopping more on e-commerce platforms, therefore companies prioritised impulsive buying. To address these issues, AI is likely to play a critical role. This study investigates numerous AI-enabled technologies and its impact on CRM in Indian retail sector post pandemic. Five AI tools (Product Recommender, Virtual Agent, Email Management, and Speech Recognition) were studied to investigate consumer awareness and its impact on CRM in retail sector pertaining to India. The researchers employed a survey-based study approach to obtain primary data through a Google form. Consumers are aware of AI-enabled solutions, and the AI technologies under research affect CRM in the Indian retail market, especially post-pandemic. This research will add to online buying literature and help firms deploy relevant technology. Keywords: Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Indian Retail Sector, Post-Pandemic, Covid-19 INTRODUCTION The post-pandemic era has changed the globe, affecting practically every industry, including retail. There is a lot of conjecture regarding the severity of the economic effect caused due to the pandemic, but there is no one reputable source of information that captures or projects Covid-19 impact estimates (Carlsson-Szlezak et al., 2020). Covid-19's long-term impacts are still being documented, despite its widespread influence on the retailing industry (Lee & Park, 2020). There is an apparent growth in demand for necessary commodities, and shops can service customers at home. At the same time, merchants confront a number of issues in ensuring the availability of commodities in a safe and secure environment. Supply chain management, inventory management, and facility safety, inventory at rest, and inventory in ISSN: 1004-9037 https://sjcjycl.cn/ DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7919225