AI in Retail: In Pursuit of Meaningful AI Adoption

The retail industry is betting big on artificial intelligence, but how much real impact is being achieved?

BRG’s newest research report dives into survey findings from senior retail executives in North America, as well as Europe and Asia-Pacific, revealing both surging AI implementation and persistent barriers to meaningful results.

Key takeaways include:

• Nearly one-half of retailers report active AI adoption in several core business functions—IT, marketing, digital commerce, and logistics—with generative AI outpacing predictive and agentic use.
• Desired AI outcomes center on increased operational agility, cost optimization, and enhanced customer engagement—but tangible impacts remain elusive.
• While retailers appear confident in policy readiness, notable gaps remain around workforce impacts, transparency, and bias.
• BRG experts offer practical recommendations—from embedding AI into a clearly defined operating model to establishing robust data governance and adopting new key performance indicators for impact measurement.

Discover why genuine transformation requires more than just technology—and what leading retailers are doing right.