At the National Retail Federation’s 2026 Big Show in New York City — one of the industry’s biggest annual gatherings — retail executives from major brands offered candid perspectives on how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping retail strategy, operations, and workforce needs.
Leaders from companies including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target, Macy’s and Ulta Beauty emphasized that while AI is becoming central to innovation, it is most effective when combined with human expertise and thoughtful execution.
Retail’s AI Moment: Technology + Human Insight
Retail executives consistently framed AI as a transformative enabler, not a replacement for people. Ed Stack, Executive Chairman of Dick’s Sporting Goods, said the industry should view AI as a productivity tool rather than a substitute for human labor, underscoring the need to use the technology to amplify human capabilities rather than supplant them.
Target’s Chief Information and Product Officer, Prat Vemana, echoed this sentiment by advising peers to apply AI with purpose — aligning innovations closely with business objectives rather than adopting technology for its own sake.
Ulta Beauty’s CEO Kecia Steelman and Macy’s Chief Customer & Digital Officer Max Magni both highlighted that AI paired with human knowledge creates value, particularly in customer engagement and personalization.
Collaboration Beyond the Storefront
The discussions also showcased markets where external AI platforms intersect with retail ecosystems. Walmart has formed a notable partnership with Google’s Gemini platform, illustrating a trend where retailers collaborate with third‑party AI services to enrich the shopping experience. However, some executives cautioned that these partnerships must preserve retailers’ access to customer data and journey insights, or risk losing valuable context about consumer behavior.
AI’s Broader Role in Retail Strategy
Executives highlighted AI’s growing footprint across the retail value chain — from personalized recommendations and search to forecasting and supply chain optimization — but also noted that organizational readiness and governance are foundational to success. Aligning data quality and ethical use frameworks is increasingly critical as AI adoption accelerates.
These conversations align with broader discussions at NRF and within industry research showing that retailers are refining investment strategies, governance models and workforce skills as they scale AI capabilities.
Looking Ahead
The NRF 2026 dialogues underscore that AI’s impact in retail is expanding rapidly — but in partnership with people, data strategy and governance — not in isolation. Retail leaders are focused on ensuring that technology enhances human creativity, customer relationships and operational intelligence as they navigate a rapidly evolving competitive landscape.
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