Merchandising & Store OpsThursday, October 1, 2026
KPMG and Oracle estimate that agentic AI can reduce the time spent managing products and attributes by approximately 50% while handling forecasting, replenishment, and in-store customer context.
WellSpan York Hospital in Pennsylvania opened a 400-square-foot autonomous kitchen in March 2026 that prepares made-to-order meals using robotic arms and 80 fresh ingredients without human contact.
Barilla's Good Food Makers 2025 program selected three startups to co-develop sustainable food pilots, including automated weed removal, AI-enhanced inspection, and smart-camera shelf availability systems.
EMARKETER projects that AI platforms will account for 1.5% of US retail ecommerce sales in 2026, representing approximately $20.57 billion in revenue.
Condé Nast is launching VETTE, an AI-powered marketplace where creators build digital storefronts under a revenue-share model with AI merchandising tools and retail-media revenue streams, in early 2026.
