Hammerson (UK) is using artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor customer behaviour in its shopping centres and help it “better quantify the true value of physical space”.

Amid its half-year results this morning, the shopping centre operator announced that it has partnered with AI technology company Deep North to trial the new system at Hammerson’s Westquay shopping centre in Southampton.

Its AI-driven system uses the shopping centre’s existing infrastructure to examine the behaviour of its visitors, helping Hammerson understand footfall traffic patterns and cross shopping activities, influencing shoppers to visit the entire mall.

Deep North’s technology is able to quickly determine how many people are in the mall, identifying their demographic, whether they are new or repeat customers, and even rate the effectiveness of merchandising by analysing customers gestures.

According to the company, during the trial, Hammerson will not be tracking or identifying specific individuals, so will not be able to identify repeat and new visitors, or track individual shopping paths through the centre.

Hammerson said that it was aiming to use technology to “improve the experience in our destinations, both for consumers and brands”, having introduced chatbots and “shop online” portals across its portfolio this year.

This came as Hammerson reported a loss of $388 million in the six months to June 30, compared with a $67.5 million profit in the same period last year.