Serge Matta, President of global tech platform GroundTruth, said 5G is "very, very close" to impacting retail. Through the 5G network, stores in a mall could pinpoint customers' location, even while they are offline, through constant pinging in the network.
Why it matters: Matta predicts that 5G could push shoppers into stores by using their offline behaviors, which could help spark a rebound in retail.
Yes, but: As 5G strengthens, the tech world will need to confront privacy concerns. GroundTruth currently tracks 75 million people, and every single one had to "knowingly" give opt-in consent, Matta said.
"The consumer has to provide explicit consent we're tracking them"— Matta
The big picture: Before 5G can help the retail industry get back on its feet, privacy concerns and regulations must be addressed within the network.
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