Artificial Intelligence (AI)

In episode 501 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Nick Lezin, senior vice president of e-commerce and marketing at Ashley, an American home furnishings manufacturer and retailer. Lezin expands on Ashley's strategy for launching a fully transactional shopping experience through artificial intelligence platform Perplexity (1:20), along with the unmet customer needs that its…

Online shopping is undergoing a fundamental shift. What was once a linear journey (search, compare, check out) is becoming something far more dynamic, conversational, and adaptive. Artificial intelligence is no longer just optimizing behind the scenes; it's increasingly becoming the interface itself. The rise of intelligent, agent-driven systems marks a turning point for retail. These…

For years, retail innovation was defined by speed. Faster delivery. Faster checkout. Faster fulfillment. Big chains and e-commerce giants set the pace, and independent retailers were forced to compete on someone else’s terms. But now that’s changing. In 2026, specialty retailers, from music shops and pet stores to grocers and dive shops, are finding renewed…

For decades, retail has been framed as a competition. Who has the best assortment, the strongest brand, the most compelling experience. But as more consumers turn to artificial intelligence as a shopping assistant, that framing quietly breaks down. AI doesn’t browse. It doesn’t wander. It decides. And in doing so, it shifts retail from a…

Retailers are investing heavily in artificial intelligence because they see the possibility of faster decisions, stronger planning cycles, and better alignment across their organizations. Many teams begin these projects hoping AI will help them move with more confidence, yet successful AI programs usually start long before the first model runs. These programs begin with a…

Meet the Gen Z shopper: phone in hand, switching between TikTok and Instagram while moving through the world around them. Their attention shifts quickly, shaped by a constant feed of tailored content and instant recommendations. They value authenticity and newness, and they decide within seconds whether something feels worth their time. For retailers, this poses…

Retailers have spent the last decade obsessing over conversion rates, checkout optimization, and reducing friction for human buyers. However, a new customer has quietly entered the market, one that doesn’t browse the way humans do, doesn’t type into forms, and doesn’t tolerate broken workflows. Who are they? Artificial intelligence agents. According to Sean Neville, cofounder…

Retailers are operating in an increasingly unforgiving environment. Shoppers expect fast, personalized, and consistent service, while retail organizations are stretched thin by staffing shortages, rising costs, and ongoing supply chain volatility. In an on-demand culture, even minor service breakdowns — an unanswered question, a long wait, an out-of-stock item — can cause today’s transactional shopper…

Over the past year, artificial intelligence's role in the shopping journey has moved past the experimentation phase, becoming a baseline expectation for consumers. Tools such as AI agents, AI-powered search and recommendations, and AI-powered checkout have become an integral part of consumer experiences in a way that goes beyond just optimizing experiences. AI tools are…

Walmart’s Q3 earnings, 2025 holiday shopping trends, tariff/inflation hangovers, and the rise of agentic commerce signal a clear shift: consumers are shopping differently, and the pace of change is only accelerating. More consumers are deal-seeking, increasingly channel-agnostic, and far more willing to comparison shop when value tilts in another direction. Retailers and brands have had…