Beyond the hype

AI has been shaping retail for decades, driving smarter forecasting, personalisation, automation and more. But the explosive growth of generative AI (GenAI) over the past two years, and the emergence of agentic AI more recently, has opened new doors – and brought unprecedented levels of excitement and debate.

Our research reveals a striking paradox. 84% of retail executives are optimistic about GenAI’s potential, according to our 2025 Disruption Index, with 71% targeting revenue growth – the highest proportion across all 10 industries we surveyed. Yet, despite this enthusiasm, our 2024 Digital Disruption Survey found that retail still trails other sectors in adoption of AI and in deriving tangible P&L impact. 

This disconnect forces urgent questions to the boardroom table: Which AI opportunities will deliver the highest ROI for your specific business? Should you invest now, or wait for solutions to mature? How do you build or buy the right capabilities? What foundations must be in place to succeed with AI at scale?

In partnership with World Retail Congress, this report offers practical guidance for retail executives: which AI applications are having the greatest impact now; when to consider introducing GenAI; how to plan for the future; and how to lead to drive adoption, equip your workforce and achieve results. Featuring insights from retailers, and complementing our AI playbook for CEOs, we spotlight the AI opportunities worth chasing, and provide a roadmap to sidestep common pitfalls.