Overview
- Retailers report broad AI adoption, with Nvidia’s 2026 survey finding 91% using or piloting the tech, most citing higher revenue and lower costs and nearly half testing agentic AI, which uses software agents to carry out multi‑step tasks on their own.
- ICSC, working with McKinsey, projects agentic commerce to drive about $1 trillion in U.S. retail revenue by 2030 as stores pivot toward order pickup, easy returns, product validation and in‑person experiences.
- In stores, AI is moving beyond basic shelf checks to full‑environment oversight, using image recognition and sensors to spot empty slots or bad placements in seconds so teams can fix issues before sales suffer.
- Consumer trust remains a hurdle, as Akeneo data shows only 45% trust AI recommendations, 38% are satisfied with agent interactions and 43% believe brands are transparent about their AI use.
- Etsy is dialing back algorithm‑first discovery to spotlight seller identity and craftsmanship, and the company reported early signs of improvement in Q1 FY2026 including 7.6% revenue growth, more reactivated buyers and higher spend per active buyer.