AI is moving fast. Clarity is lagging behind.
That tension came through clearly in my conversation with Giles Smith, whose background spans brands like Selfridges and advisory work across dozens of retailers. Having worked both in-house and as a consultant, he sees both sides of the equation. The ambition to move faster, and the reality of what it actually takes to get there.
“It’s making my team build faster than ever.”
That line says a lot about where we actually are with AI right now. Because while the industry debates tools, platforms, and capabilities, the real shift is happening in how quickly teams can execute.
AI Is a Superpower, Not the Strategy
One of the clearest points Giles made is that AI is not the strategy. It is the accelerator.
The biggest impact is not coming from flashy use cases or constant innovation cycles. It is coming from speed. Teams are building faster, testing faster, and shipping faster. That changes how organizations operate in a very real way.
But speed alone does not solve anything. You still need direction, and that is where many companies are still figuring things out.
Too Many Projects, Not Enough Clarity
One of the more telling dynamics right now is how many AI initiatives retailers are running at once. In some cases, hundreds.
That might sound like progress. But it often creates fragmentation. Without clear ownership, it becomes harder to track what is actually working and what is just experimentation.
And as AI systems take on more responsibility, that problem only grows.
“If agents are running pricing, content, the website… where does the buck stop?”
It is a simple question, but one the industry does not fully have an answer to yet.
Solve Real Problems First
There is also a tendency right now to overcorrect. To assume everything needs to be reinvented.
But a lot of existing experiences already work. Giles summed it up in a way that cuts through the noise.
“I still don’t find it that hard to find a medium green jumper using the dropdown.”
That is the point. Not everything is broken. Not everything needs AI layered on top of it.
Start with real friction. Focus on what is actually missing or inefficient. Then apply AI where it genuinely improves the experience.
Where AI Actually Works
This does not mean holding back. There are clear areas where AI is already creating value, especially where the downside is low and the upside is real.
For example:
• Creating new digital experiences for short-term moments
• Expanding content production beyond traditional limits
• Testing personalization at a scale that was not possible before
In these cases, AI opens doors. The key is being intentional about where you walk through them.
Build vs Buy Is Shifting Again
AI is also starting to reshape how retailers think about technology itself.
For years, the balance between building and buying has been relatively stable. But if AI continues to lower the barrier to development, that balance could shift. More brands may choose to bring capabilities in-house, giving them more control, more flexibility, and more ownership over the experience.
That said, context matters. A global brand with deep engineering resources has very different options than a growing DTC company.
Governance Is the Next Big Challenge
If there is one area that feels underdeveloped right now, it is governance.
Because as AI becomes more embedded, accountability becomes less clear. In the past, when something broke, you knew exactly who owned it. Now, that line is starting to blur.
“You’re going to need a dashboard to feel in control.”
That need for visibility and oversight is going to define the next phase of AI in retail. Not just what gets built, but how it gets managed day to day.
The Human Factor Still Wins
For all the focus on technology, the conversation kept coming back to people.
Because AI can scale a business. But it cannot replace what makes it meaningful.
“It can’t make it human.”
That is the risk. That in chasing efficiency, brands lose connection. Lose culture. Lose the things that actually make customers care.
And over time, that shows up.
The Bottom Line
AI is not optional. But neither is focus.
Use it to move faster. Use it to solve real problems. Use it where it creates clear value.
But do not chase it for the sake of it.
Because the brands that win will not be the ones doing the most with AI. They will be the ones doing the right things with it.
And still remembering that retail, at its core, is human.
To catch more conversations from Retail Technology Show 2026 in London, follow Omni Talk Retail on LinkedIn or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you to Vusion for supporting Omni Talk Retail’s live coverage, and thank you to our listeners for joining us during the event.
Be careful out there,
Chris Walton and the Omni Talk team
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Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.