In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami discussed how the vending machine has stood the test of time even as e-commerce shook the retail industry. He noted the advantages of the vending machine and how it could be an alternative to a brick-and-mortar store and become the minimart of the future. Assoc Prof Ramaswami believes vending machines could get smarter and better as companies have begun using artificial intelligence to build smart vending machines to provide more personalised and interactive features for customers.