On Sunday, almost 40,000 retail enthusiasts descended on the Javits Center in New York City. To put that in perspective for you, Madison Square Garden holds 19,500 people. So, enough people to fill Madison Square Garden twice were walking around the convention center. Wild!

These retail professionals represent 19,000 retail experts and 5,000 brands. About 30% of these people are international. That’s one of my favorite parts of the conference. You hear so many different languages in the halls.

So, what were the takeaways? Is everyone still AI-obsessed? What about the people in stores? Did they remember to talk about them?

I’ll answer all those questions right here and give you insight you won’t get anywhere else.

Let’s get into it.

AI’s Impact on Retail

AI is having a huge impact on retail, and it’s not only chatbots and virtual try-on sessions.  Walmart’s investments in AI are empowering the retailer to keep store shelves full. The company uses AI to optimize supply chains with forecasting and logistics.

L’Oréal is using 3D digital twins to create marketing campaigns. This helps them develop campaign ideas rapidly. They can reach customers across multiple channels, including social media.

“A digital twin is a virtual representation — a true-to-reality simulation of physics and materials — of a real-world physical asset or system, which is continuously updated.” – NVIDIA.

Lowe’s is also using this technology to improve merchandising. The company can test ideas with AI and determine the best strategy. The AI allows them to see it on screen exactly as it would be in a store. No more guessing.

All amazing innovations. What about the people?

The Human Element in Retail

Retail is people. Every executive on the stage emphasized the customer journey. Each brand is aching to be not only relevant but also memorable. What’s the secret? The secret is investing in employees. The customer experience is only as good as the company culture and employee experience. 

Target had a prime speaking spot. Brian Cornell, CEO, and Abubakarr Bangura, Group VP, stressed the company’s commitment to its employees. The brand has a clear leadership training strategy. They developed it with the help of their store leaders. Target trains their leaders for the jobs they do today, and helps them map their futures.

This training concept may seem standard, but it’s not. Many companies don’t do it and then wonder why their turnover is so high. Target is developing current teams while building a talent bench for the future. Brilliant!

Retail stores still deliver 80% of revenue for companies. So, training programs for field leaders are a stellar use of resources. 

What else is going on in stores? I’m glad you asked.

The Evolving Role of Physical Stores

Retailers are getting creative with brick-and-mortar. 

Foot Locker highlighted their flagship NYC store. It includes a Kick it Club – a large, curved, communal bench to try on shoes next to other customers. The brand proudly showed off its giant digital display wall. It holds display shoes and shows the latest designs from popular shoe companies.

Louis Vuitton wrapped a NYC corner to look like its signature LV trunks, as it remodels its city store. The wrapped corner itself draws huge crowds. Talk about creating a fantastic advertising moment! Tiffany & Co. recently remodeled their New York location. It’s ten stories and includes a restaurant on one floor. It’s not only New York City locations that are being reimagined.

Kevin Ervin Kelley, an architect and co-founder of Shook Kelley design firm, gave an insightful presentation at NRF. He discussed reviving a sense of community in retail spaces. The Shook Kelley firm recently won numerous awards for its work on the Northgate Market in Costa Mesa, California. 

Kelley highlighted the need we all have as humans for joy, delight, and surprise. He reminded us that every space emits an emotional vibe. Companies must focus on what he calls “bonfire moments” that bring people together. Kelley is also the author of my favorite retail book of 2024, IRREPLACEABLE.

Retail is People

Retail stores are not dying, friends. They’re being reinvented daily.

The NRF convention brings together the brightest minds in retail—all 40,000 of them. From tech to design to people—NRF had it all this year. 

AI is still at the forefront of the conversation. But now, we’re learning about new use cases. Walmart’s supply chain and logistics are ahead of the game. Lowe’s and L’Oréal’s use of digital twins is revolutionizing the industry today. Target’s leaders highlighted how investing in people and creating a culture of curiosity will set your brand up for success today and in the future. 

Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. are investing in their brick-and-mortar locations, and customers can’t get enough. People are aching for connection in physical spaces. Kevin Kelley reminded us how well-designed spaces can bring us together for bonfire moments.

Each moment at NRF is a small glimpse into a vast industry. The common denominator: people. 

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Kit Campoy is an author and retail expert with two decades of experience leading retail teams. Today, she freelance writes for world-class SaaS Retail Tech companies.

Last updated on March 6th, 2025 at 10:45 am

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the Internet’s top buzzwords – and top technologies. AI applications like ChatGPT are now popular among consumers and brands alike for language-based tasks and project management assistance. As AI continues to permeate society, retailers can leverage its capabilities.

While retailers will inevitably encounter some barriers to AI adoption, the benefits of integrating AI features into their systems will also yield benefits. Those that do experiment with AI in retail may earn the title of being innovators – a prime attribute in today’s omnichannel world.

Read below to learn more about AI in retail and it will benefit both the customer and store associate experience.

9 Benefits of AI in Retail

AI in retail isn’t just about flashy tech—it’s about creating smarter, smoother, and more satisfying experiences for customers and store associates alike. From tailoring shopping journeys to streamlining backend operations, the benefits are hard to ignore.

1. Personalized customer experiences

Shopping with a personal touch is no longer a luxury—it’s an expectation. AI analyzes data to deliver tailored product recommendations. Personalized experiences keep customers engaged and loyal.

2. Smarter inventory management

Stocking the right products, in the right quantities, at the right time? AI has it covered. Predictive analytics helps retailers avoid dreaded stockouts or costly overstock. Plus, for omnichannel retailers, AI ensures smooth communication between stores, warehouses, and fulfillment centers.

3. Operational efficiency

AI is like having an extra set of hands (or a hundred). By automating routine tasks like inventory tracking, pricing updates, and customer inquiries, retailers free up their teams to focus on what matters: creating stellar customer experiences. Time saved is money earned.

4. Smarter pricing strategies  

AI ensures pricing is always on point. Whether it’s marking down slow movers or capitalizing on hot-ticket items, smarter pricing helps maximize sales and stay competitive.

5. Better customer service

Customer service, but smarter. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are available 24/7 to assist customers. For more complex needs, they escalate seamlessly to human agents. The result? Fast, efficient support that leaves customers satisfied.

6. Empowers store associates

AI isn’t just for customers—it’s a game-changer for store associates too. AI facilitates clienteling, making store associates’ jobs easier and more enjoyable.  

7. Enhanced security 

AI is a security guard that never sleeps. From deterring theft to catching errors, AI strengthens retailers’ loss prevention strategies and protects the bottom line.

8. Faster decision-making

Retail moves fast, and AI helps brands keep up. With AI analyzing vast amounts of data in real-time, retailers can make more informed decisions. Speed and accuracy mean staying ahead of the competition.

9. Improved sustainability

AI supports greener retail practices by reducing waste and minimizing energy use and emissions. Customers increasingly value sustainability, and AI helps retailers deliver.

AI Use Cases in Retail

Here, we delve into exactly how AI is used in retail.

Customer service bots

Consumers expect quick and top-notch customer service, regardless of where they’re completing their shopping. One benefit of AI in retail is the ability to help scale customer service by powering bots that can respond to questions online or in a mobile app. AI customer service bots can give instant responses to customers in a multitude of languages – and they’re available 24/7.

Bots can also quickly track shoppers’ ordered items to provide accurate delivery times, collect and aggregate customer feedback, and field FAQs from shoppers. All of this enables human customer service agents to respond to more complex queries and foster a better sense of customer intimacy.

Personalized recommendations 

To complement their customer service experiences, retailers can also leverage AI to give consumers personalized recommendations when shopping on the website, mobile site, or in the app. AI systems are able to follow people’s purchase patterns, including what types of items they usually buy and their preferred sizes.

The AI systems can then use this data to prompt customers to purchase complementary items (such as workout leggings to match a top they previously purchased) or products that will likely appeal to their style. Additionally, AI can leverage this information to upsell products or services – such as showing customers higher-end versions of previously purchased items.

Automated inventory tracking

Another top use for AI in retail is automated inventory tracking. AI can provide demand forecasting by analyzing data around products and purchase volumes, which retailers can then leverage to buy more or less stock from manufacturers. Offering the right type of inventory that appeals to local clientele can help increase shoppers’ average basket size, and consequently, boost retailers’ bottom lines.

AI supports more seamless communication between inventory tracking systems, which is beneficial for brands offering omnichannel fulfillment options that pull inventory from warehouses, distribution centers, or other brick-and-mortar store locations. By investing in AI for inventory management, retailers can outsource these logistics to free up time for associates to help customers in stores.

Dynamic pricing

Since customers have access to such a wide variety of retailers these days, they can easily conduct price comparisons while researching a product and choose to buy from the retailer offering the lowest price. Another benefit of using AI in retail is leveraging dynamic pricing features. Dynamic pricing relies on AI predictive analytics to analyze real-time product prices based on inventory levels and customer demand.

An AI system with dynamic pricing can adjust products’ cost based on this data to offer promotional prices for slower-selling products or higher prices for hot-ticket items. These types of adjustments enable retailers to compete more effectively in the crowded marketplace and drive better omnichannel pricing strategies.

Enhanced loss prevention

Brands can also tap AI to enhance their loss prevention tactics. Some retailers have AI systems at checkout counters that can detect products’ weight and determine whether customers are scanning a lower-priced alternative instead. Others employ AI-powered video cameras to watch shoppers’ movements and flag anything that seems suspicious. These features can all complement retailers’ existing loss prevention strategies, such as RFID technology.

Bolstering clienteling 

AI can significantly enhance store associates’ clienteling efforts by providing real-time, actionable insights into customer preferences and behaviors. With access to AI-powered tools, associates can offer highly personalized service, such as suggesting items based on a customer’s past purchases or preferences. AI can also track customer interactions, allowing associates to engage with shoppers on a more personal level, remembering details from previous visits or purchases. By automating data collection and analysis, AI ensures that associates have the right information at their fingertips, helping them to create stronger, more meaningful connections with customers and ultimately drive loyalty and sales.

Improving sustainability

AI doesn’t just help retailers boost profits—it can also help them reduce their environmental impact. By analyzing data on product demand, AI can forecast the exact quantities needed at various times, minimizing overstock and reducing waste. This ensures that stores only order what they can sell, leading to less excess inventory and fewer products ending up in landfills. AI can also optimize supply chain logistics, lowering energy consumption in transportation and warehouse operations. 

Considerations When Implementing AI in Retail

To avoid AI’s potential pitfalls, brands should ensure they keep the following top of mind.

Overpromising functionalities

One potential downside to leveraging AI in retail at this budding stage is overpromising functionalities that may not be currently feasible or don’t work as advertised most of the time. Brands may then attract customers who are intrigued by a particular offering, only to become disappointed if it underdelivers on their expectations. This could result in significant negative impacts to the brand’s reputation.

Security risks

As all brands know, customer data and proprietary information must be safeguarded at all times. Those that choose to experiment with AI must ensure that the AI platforms adhere to compliance and offer minimal risks of a data breach. Additionally, companies that use open systems of any kind must contend with the risk that their proprietary data may also get breached.

Customer perception regarding ethics

As consumers continue to demand more transparency around how their personal data is collected and used, retailers must make this information available as it relates to their integration with any AI systems. Customers must be able to give consent around their privacy and data. Since AI is still a new concept for many people, retailers may need to publicize more information on their use of AI to proactively address customers’ ethical concerns.

Technology integration challenges 

To successfully leverage AI in retail, companies will need to invest in experienced talent that can integrate it within their current systems. AI has the power to significantly streamline retail operations, inventory management, and customer service, but brands must make sure they maintain the proper technology infrastructure and staff for successful integration. Otherwise, the potential risks – such as mismanagement of data and clunky customer experiences – may become a detriment to the business.

Cost and ROI

AI isn’t cheap, but the right investment can yield impressive results. Retailers should carefully assess how AI technology will boost efficiency, enhance customer engagement, and reduce costs, ensuring the return outweighs the initial expense. A thoughtful approach to balancing cost and ROI will help maximize value.

Maintaining human touch in customer interactions

While AI can automate and enhance customer interactions, retailers must strike a balance to ensure the human element isn’t lost. For example, providing customers with the option to escalate to a human representative can help build trust and improve satisfaction.

Strategies for Maximizing AI in Retail

To stand the best chance at effectively leveraging AI to enhance experiences for store associates and customers, retailers should:

• Brainstorm how AI features can best integrate with their existing technology infrastructure
• Research the best vendors and talent to collaborate with to ensure that features are implemented successfully
• Slowly introduce AI in an ethical way and inform customers that their privacy is top of mind

By employing a methodical approach to exploring AI in retail, brands can take advantage of this new technology while ensuring they remain compliant. A pragmatic method also requires brands to take their time with rolling out new features, as they should make sure everything works as advertised before customers experience it. If retailers are willing to engage in deep research around AI before they plug and play with its many features, their likelihood of reaching innovator status in the competitive marketplace will grow exponentially.

Have questions around whether your business should start experimenting with AI? Speak with one of our experts today.