Retailers bet on AI for supply chain, 'smart' shopping
· Source: ciodive.com
In short
Large retailers including Gap, Dollar General, Ulta Beauty and Kohl's are accelerating their AI strategies in the second half of 2026 to improve supply chain efficiency, customer experience, discoverability and internal operations, according to Q2 earnings calls. Executives highlighted investments in chatbots, predictive models and agentic AI systems as both short-term investments and long-term strategies. Bain & Co. partner Aaron Cheris notes that most retailers are overhauling specific business aspects with AI rather than pursuing full AI-first transformations, with examples including supply chain optimization and AI-powered shopping assistants.
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In the issue of week 36, 2026: AI-Driven Automation and Integration Reshape Supply Chain Efficiency and Security
Tags: supply chain, retail, AI, inventory, agentic AI, customer experience