Tempurpedic’s ActiveBreeze product line is fully integrated with Sleeptracker-AI, offering customizable climate programs associated with each sleep schedule and a variety of other features.
overview:
- Sleep Number’s 360 smart bed uses AI algorithms to monitor biometric data and adjust firmness in real-time.
- Tempur Sealy’s Sleeptracker-AI platform provides personalized sleep insights and automatic snoring response adjustment.
- Kingsdown and Ashley Sleep leverage AI for retail sales training, marketing content, and market analysis.
High Point — Artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving from an experimental tool to the operational backbone of the bedding category, impacting everything from smart bed performance and sleep coaching to marketing strategy, sales training, and product development.
Across industries, executives say AI adoption is uneven but accelerating. Some lean heavily into data modeling and predictive analytics. Some companies are carefully experimenting with marketing and operational efficiency.
From personalized sleep coaching built on hundreds of millions of data points to AI-assisted market analysis and showroom video content, mattress manufacturers are testing how far and how quickly artificial intelligence can improve both sleep and the business it sells.
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The question is no longer whether AI belongs in that category, but how deeply it will be integrated into that future.
At the product level, some of the most visible products in this category are already installed in consumers’ bedrooms. Sleep Number’s 360 smart bed uses AI-driven algorithms to monitor biometric data and automatically adjust firmness in real-time, leveraging millions of hours of sleep data to continually improve performance.
TEMPUR Sealy International’s Sleep Tracker AI platform was developed through a long-standing partnership with Full Power AI to provide personalized sleep insights and automatic snoring response adjustments.
Additionally, technologies such as Customic Sleep Technologies’ Opus system include automatic snoring protection and real-time sleep tracking. Kingsdown’s BedMatch incorporates AI technology that guides consumers to the mattress that’s right for them.
But executives say bigger changes may be happening behind the scenes.
From sleep data to sleep coaching
Brent Pfister, Tempur Sealy’s senior vice president of brand management and new product development, said the partnership has evolved from a commercial sleep tracking agreement to a broader AI-driven coaching and insights platform.
Having analyzed more than 250 million pieces of sleep data, the platform leverages large-scale language models and advanced analytics to deliver increasingly personalized sleep insights. Features such as automatic snore response, micromotion tracking, and relaxation tools including waveform massage and soundscape experiences are provided based on data collected and validated in a sleep lab environment.
“What attracted us to Full Power was that its foundation was much more than just sleep insights,” Pfister said. “This is a coaching platform.”
Integration extends beyond products. Tempur Sealy is currently releasing multiple apps in 2020, adding new features such as a partnership with Calm and using AI to better understand anxiety-related sleep disorders, which have skyrocketed during and after the pandemic.
Cliff Buster, CEO of Tempur Sealy International, said AI is now involved in product development, marketing and operations.
“Innovation is in our core DNA,” he said, adding that teams across the organization are trained to use AI tools to improve workflows and accelerate development cycles.
AI as an analyst and brainstorming partner
For manufacturers across all categories, AI is reshaping daily business operations.
South Bay International CEO Toby Konecny said the company uses AI-powered chatbots on its consumer-facing sites, and internally uses AI tools to summarize contracts, analyze data and generate insights on product trends.
“It’s like having your own personal data analyst,” Konecny says. “AI is great at giving answers, but you need to be clever with your prompts. You need to know what to ask and how to ask it.”
He emphasized that prompting and refinement are important skills. His product team uses AI to scan trends in bedding, as well as adjacent categories such as home fashion, apparel and home decor, to identify color and fabric direction.
Mark Quinn, Schiffman Mattress’ senior vice president of sales and marketing, describes AI as a “brainstorming partner” for marketing concepts, but the company doesn’t use it to write copy.
“We use it for direction and strategy ideas,” Quinn says.
The company also uses AI to analyze sales data, prospect for new retail partners, and assess the competitive landscape.
“Is being left behind an option?” Quinn asked. “Companies need to invest time in researching tools. Fail while you can.”
Richard Fleck, president of Paramount Sleep, said his team uses AI for imagery, financial forecasting, spreadsheet modeling and business plan development.
“I’m a big believer that we have to check it and recognize that there are mistakes,” Fleck said. “AI is currently in its infancy, but it will explode into huge proportions.”
Sales floor/retail training
AI is also making inroads into retail sales training.
In addition to using AI technology to power the diagnostic BedMatch system, Kingsdown takes a holistic approach with generation tools. Recently, the company leveraged AI to bring back vintage advertising and marketing materials with a new look and feel.
Gary Towning, the brand’s chief marketing officer, sees a long way to go as AI tools continue to improve.
The company has also created a new training platform with the ask crAIg app. It is designed to give RSAs instant access to insights and guidance through AI-generated responses, building on the sales training expertise of Craig Wilson, Kingsdown’s VP of Sales Training and Education.
Ashley Sleep introduces AI-powered tools that analyze everything from consumer preferences to market data to marketing assets and plans.
Executives say AI is being incorporated into many parts of the business, from predictive modeling that helps gather starting point information, to generative tools that help analyze retail store floors to accelerate marketing content and maximize merchandising. The goal is to streamline the way Ashley connects with retail partners and consumers.
“We’re not afraid of that,” said Brad Rogers, Ashley’s senior vice president of bedding. “Ultimately, this will enable us to improve and also our retail customers to give consumers what they need in this category.”
Rogers said the company continues to expand its use of AI, but has had success in analyzing market areas and developing training programs for sales professionals and retail salespeople. He said the company sees AI as another tool in its chest.
“You know what AI can’t do? AI can’t replicate the soft skills that our sales professionals provide,” says Rogers. “But it’s a great tool for other areas of partnership with retailers and how to connect with consumers.”
Symphony Sleep President John Schulte said the company uses AI-generated product videos that retailers can incorporate into their showroom sales presentations.
“It makes sense to use it where applicable,” Schulte said. “We don’t jump into it just to use it.”
