Retailers today are drowning in choice on the tech side. From flashy in-store experiences to cutting-edge AI forecasting, the hype around retail tech has never been louder. But the real question—as we head toward NRF 2026—is this: which AI tools are worth investing in?
Debuting a new AI stage, artificial intelligence will once again be dominating the NRF floor; attendees will be swarmed with talk about how their brands can benefit from AI adoption. The biggest opportunities for retailers don’t just lie in consumer-facing tools, they also lie in invisible “back-of-house” improvements, analytics and hybrid systems that tie everything together.
Where AI Already Delivers
As NRF 2026 approaches, retailers face a sea of AI-focused vendors on the exhibition floor peddling everything from gen AI customer service chatbots to enterprise-scale forecasting platforms. Here’s a rundown of what AI really offers retail (not because of hype, but because it solves real-world problems).
- Demand forecasting & inventory optimization: AI systems can analyze massive amounts of data (sales history, promotions, seasonality, external factors) to predict what items will be needed, where and when to avoid out-of-stock and overstock.
- Supply-chain and logistics management: AI helps with ordering cadence, replenishment, distribution and other decisions that give retailers a leg up in a volatile market.
- Smarter pricing, promotions and margin management: With AI, retailers can dynamically plan markdowns or promotions intelligently, and optimize profitability rather than relying on guesswork.
- Customer-facing enhancements: On the front end, AI drives personalized shopping experiences, smarter product discovery (search, recommendations), conversational interfaces, virtual try-ons and more—helping shoppers navigate choice and discover products efficiently.
In short: AI isn’t a one-trick pony. Its value spans from supply-chain to marketing to customer experience.
AI Shopping on the NRF 2026 Floor
At NRF, there will be a temptation to go for what looks cool. But the pressure is real: budgets are limited, margins are squeezed, competition is intense.
So the question remains: which AI tools are worth investing in?
“Retail margins are notoriously thin, and solutions that can address the margin challenge and drive financial impact are the ones that reign supreme,” commented Max Ma for the Retail Technology Review.
Brands that win will be the ones who treat AI as serious infrastructure, not a shiny accessory—approaching AI not as a checkbox or a trend, but as part of a broader strategy. Blending front-end and back-end AI tools drives higher margins, reduces waste, improves product availability consistency and fosters customer satisfaction.
Find the 7thonline team at NRF Booth 6823, and let’s discuss how our unified planning platform may be a fit for your 2026 inventory goals. Schedule a time with the team here: https://www.7thonline.com/contact-us/.
