Technology leaders at major brands and retailers continue to talk about the role of AI in bringing consumers through the digital door.
NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show CIOs, CTOs, and their colleagues experienced how AI is part of the next step in serving customers wherever they are and where they are.
The multi-day conference brought together major retailers like Target and Lowe’s and technology providers like Nvidia and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Many, if not most, of the keynotes and panels showed that AI is deeply entrenched in the space and that major companies are making big bets on what it can deliver.
For example, as Google’s AI brief transforms online search, retailers are being forced to evolve beyond pursuing search engine optimization (SEO) rankings. Organizations are also deploying AI to uncover hidden trends that can be exploited. Supply chains are also being completely overhauled, and AI is expected to bring new efficiencies.
The following slides highlight technology leaders who shared an inside look at the AI strategies being driven across their organizations.
While naysayers and AI advocates debate the future of AI, these retail technology executives are squarely focused on exploring the technology’s potential. “AI is certainly at the forefront, but it’s not the endgame,” Thibault Roux, Burger King’s chief digital officer, said during a panel discussion. “It has to be the right tool for the right problem.”
