But the reality on the ground is far less advanced.
A new study shows that while 83% of retailers say AI is now necessary to compete, only 6% consider their capabilities mature. Most are still stuck in the exploring (31%) or planning (37%) phase, held back by siloed data, integration challenges and talent gaps.
That gap matters.
Because in retail, competitive advantage rarely comes from talking about technology first. It comes from building the foundations that make execution possible: better data, stronger infrastructure, and channels that already deliver reach, trust and action. The same study found retailers are prioritising data infrastructure (56%) and network/compute upgrades (42%) before scaling AI more broadly.
For our industry, the message is clear: innovation is not just about adding AI. It is about integrating it into a media and commerce ecosystem that already works.
Print and door drop media still have a critical role to play here. They remain powerful, scalable channels for driving store traffic, supporting local relevance, and feeding the omnichannel journeys AI is supposed to improve.
The winners will not be the retailers making the loudest noise about AI.
They will be the ones connecting innovation to execution.
Is retail moving too slowly on AI or finally getting serious about doing it properly?