Blog
back to resource library
January 23, 2026
Walking the floor at NRF 2026, the shift was unmistakable. The conversation has moved beyond experimentation and into execution. After several years of exploring generative AI’s potential, retailers are now focused on where it delivers real, measurable value.
Across sessions, demos, and off-the-cuff conversations, a clear pattern emerged: retail is transitioning from search-driven experiences to agent-driven ones, where AI can recommend, negotiate, and even transact on behalf of customers. At the same time, the “Big Show” reinforced an essential truth—technology only creates advantage when it strengthens, rather than replaces, a brand’s core identity.
Below is my perspective on the most important themes from NRF 2026 and what they signal for retail and consumer goods leaders navigating this next phase.
The buzzword of the conference was undoubtedly Agentic AI. The keynote sessions made it clear that we are graduating from "human-in-the-loop" systems to "agent-to-agent" commerce.
Google’s presentation on the platform shift was particularly eye-opening. We are witnessing a transition where AI moves shopping from an intent-based model ("I want it") to a service-based outcome ("I have it"). The numbers backing this up are staggering; Google Cloud’s Vertex AI is now processing over 90 trillion monthly tokens, representing an 11x year-over-year growth.
But what does this actually look like for our strategy?
It means that the customer journey is no longer linear. As noted in the sessions featuring PayPal, Wayfair, and Home Depot, we must "design semantically rich" sites optimized for agents, not just humans. The launch of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)—announced as a new open standard for AI‑driven, agent‑to‑agent commerce—marks a critical infrastructure change.
We saw practical examples of this "off-property" experience. Consumers are having deep conversations with platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini long before they reach our websites. Retailers must ensure that when an LLM retrieves data about our brand, it is accurate. As the slides highlighted, "LLMs are now powering on and off property experiences. They need to retrieve the right data about your products and brand".
While the tech stack is evolving, the human element remains the differentiator. Ryan Reynolds delivered one of the most resonant messages of the conference regarding brand building. In a landscape where "90% of startup businesses are failures," Reynolds argued that consumers are rational, but we must drive them to have an "irrational affinity" to our brands.
His advice to "use less to build trust" and "embrace the suck" feels incredibly relevant in an AI-saturated world. We cannot automate away our humanity.
Ralph Lauren provided the perfect case study of marrying this heritage with innovation. They are using their "Ask Ralph" conversational AI not just as a search tool, but as a stylist that helps customers find the right outfit, reinforcing their 25-year history of digital innovation. It is a reminder that AI should not replace the brand voice; it should amplify it. As noted in several sessions, "AI is a human amplifier".
The consumer data presented at NRF 2026 was startling. We learned that 61% of US consumers now use AI in their shopping journey. Even more provocative was this statistic from Tapestry Inc.’s session: 57% of people today trust AI advice more than they trust advice from family and friends.
This shift requires us to rethink loyalty. It is no longer about points programs; it is about proactivity. Customers expect retailers to "bring loyalty to them".
We saw this in action with Target's vendor-facing chatbot and Fabletics' use of AI to process massive data points for membership models. Sweetwater, a brand famous for personal relationships, is using AI to mine data from sales calls to coach associates in real-time and deliver hyper-personalized experiences.
The takeaway here is clear: Personalization is the new standard. If we aren't using AI to recognize the customer's context immediately, we are already behind.
While the front-end agentic experiences are sexy, the back-end transformations discussed by PepsiCo and Ocado were where the immediate ROI lies.
PepsiCo’s partnership with Siemens to create digital twins of their facilities is a masterclass in efficiency. They reported a 20% efficiency increase in just two months after implementation in a Gatorade facility. By leveraging AI for supply chain innovation, they are ensuring the right product is available at the right moment, while also exploring autonomous vehicles to combat driver shortages.
Ocado’s presentation on the value chain was equally impressive. Their use of robotics and AI has led to 99.5% robot availability and the ability to pick a 50-item order in just 5 minutes. Their systems now cover 95 million miles in robot-driven operations annually.
This is the "unseen" AI the algorithms optimizing battery fleet lifespans, the computer vision ensuring fulfillment accuracy, and the machine learning forecasting demand so that only 0.4% of stock remains unsold. For us executives, this is the reminder that AI is not just a marketing expense; it's a deflationary force in our P&L.
Perhaps the most poignant advice came during the discussions on organizational readiness. We can buy the best GPUs and license the best LLMs, but as the notes from Day 2 reminded us, "You need a culture of innovation for AI to succeed".
Fanatics described their approach as running a multi-billion-dollar company like a "scrappy entrepreneur". Dick’s Sporting Goods emphasized that "culture is essential" and highlighted their "Left Tackle Award" for individuals who may lack visibility but have profound impact.
To succeed in the Agentic Era, we must adopt a "Yes, if" mindset rather than a "No, because" mindset. We need to empower our engineering teams to be creative resources, not just ticket-takers.
One theme that cut across nearly every operational conversation was control; not in the abstract, but in the day-to-day reality of managing stores, inventory, and supply chains at scale. Many of the most compelling demos on the floor showed how retailers are using real-time data, anomaly detection, and predictive signals to move from reactive firefighting to proactive decision-making. Control towers are no longer dashboards for executives alone; they are becoming shared, operational tools that store managers, planners, and supply chain teams rely on to act quickly and confidently. This shift, from visibility to orchestration, felt like one of the most immediate and practical takeaways of the week.
What stood out most at NRF 2026 was not any single technology, but the growing clarity around where AI truly delivers value. The strongest conversations were grounded in specifics: reducing shrink, improving on-shelf availability, accelerating fulfillment, and giving teams better signals earlier. There was a noticeable move away from broad “AI strategy” talk toward focused use cases tied directly to operational outcomes. Retailers are not asking if they should adopt AI anymore, rather, they’re asking where it belongs and how fast it can pay for itself.
As I head back to the office, I am crystallizing my action plan around three core pillars derived from the conference:
NRF 2026 proved that the "future" is no longer a distant horizon, it is currently being coded. The transition to Agentic Commerce is a massive platform shift, perhaps the most profound of our times.
However, the technology is ultimately just a tool. As we integrate these agents into our ecosystems, we must remember the goal stated succinctly in the sessions: "The goal is to delight the guest using AI". Whether through a seamless robotic fulfillment center or a chat with "Ask Ralph," if it doesn't solve a customer problem or add value, it's just noise.
The state of the art is advancing rapidly. It’s time to set our ambitions high.
Did you attend NRF 2026? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how Agentic AI is impacting your roadmap. Contact us today, visit https://www.neudesic.com/industries/retail/
Related Posts
Secure, Responsible and AI Ready
Artificial intelligence is fast becoming the decision engine of modern […]
Bridging the Data Gap
Every enterprise today is racing to harness the potential of […]
Becoming AI Frontier
Artificial intelligence has moved beyond experimentation — it’s now the […]
Data for Digital Workers: Building the AI-Powered Enterprise with Neudesic, AMD, and Microsoft
The future of work is no longer human-only. It’s human […]
Pedro Franco
VP Industry Solutions Transportation & Hospitality
pedro.franco@neudesic.com
Subscribe
Sign up for emails on new digital articles and other news
Subject to Neudesic's Privacy Policy, you agree to allow Neudesic to use your contact details to keep you informed about products, services, and offers. You can opt-out at any time.
