How AI Is Powering the Next Wave of Retail Transformation

How AI Is Powering the Next Wave of Retail Transformation

Across the retail industry, artificial intelligence is no longer viewed as an experimental capability or a future-state ambition. It’s become connective tissue linking data, decision-making and growth. Nowhere is this shift more visible than in retail media, having moved beyond seasonal spikes and test-and-learn pilots into a core, year-round revenue engine. In fact, according to the 12th annual survey of Chief Data Officers and Chief Data and Analytics Officers, 88% of respondents said investments in data and analytics are a top organizational priority, and 90% reported that spending on generative AI is increasing within their organizations.

As retail media networks rapidly mature, retailers’ access to first-party data and brands’ demand for measurable, high-intent advertising environments have become major growth drivers. But as retail leaders assess performance coming out of the holiday season, the most important question is no longer how individual campaigns performed. It is whether retail media, personalization, pricing, and promotion are being operated as a coordinated system, rather than a set of parallel initiatives.

According to a recent survey from my company, Prosper Insights & Analytics, Millennials, who wield significant spending power both globally and in the U.S., responded with a higher rate of adoption for agentic AI across categories from travel, healthcare and financials than its Gen-Z, Gen-X or Boomer counterparts.

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By combining EPAM’s engineering DNA with data science, advanced AI and creative strategy, Empathy Lab helps marketing leaders shift from reactive marketing to proactive customer orchestration, delivering the right message at the right time with precision and empathy: www.empathylab.com