Retail leaders are being forced to make long‑term investment and operating decisions at a moment when AI is reshaping the industry faster than traditional planning models can respond.

At World Retail Congress 2026, EY participated as a Knowledge Partner, contributing strategic insight to senior‑level discussions on how AI is redefining growth, competition and customer value in retail. Across main‑stage conversations and closed‑door executive forums, EY brought a future‑focused perspective on the leadership choices required to turn AI innovation into sustainable advantage. 

In collaboration with World Retail Congress, EY has captured this thinking in a new report designed to help retailers navigate uncertainty beyond the event itself. Rather than assuming a single outcome, the report applies a four‑futures framework — Constraint, Growth, Transform and Collapse — to explore how different AI‑driven futures could fundamentally reshape retail business models, customer relationships and operating structures.

Drawing on EY research, global retail data and real‑world perspectives, the report explores:

• How generative and agentic AI are already reshaping retail operations, engagement and ecosystems
• Why AI's long-tem impact will depend as much on regulation, trust and governance as on technology itself
• What different AI futures could mean for growth, margins, workforce structure and competitive advantage
• Where retailers can make no-regret strategic moves to reduce risk and preserve optionality across multiple futures
• How leaders can decide where human judgement must remain central and where AI-driven scale creates real advantage

The future of retail is not fixed. But with the right perspective, leaders can shape it with confidence.