Deep Dive: AI’s Next Chapter in Retail — Scale, Security & Strategy

Jan 29, 2026

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This episode is brought to you by Airia.

AI dominated conversations at NRF 2026—but as adoption accelerates, so do the risks. In this Retail Remix Deep Dive bonus episode, host Adam Blair, Editor at Retail TouchPoints, sits down with Kevin Kiley, CEO of AIRIA, to explore how retailers can unlock the promise of AI without exposing themselves to unnecessary vulnerability.

Together, they unpack where AI is delivering real value across retail, from store associate enablement to back-office operations, while also addressing the growing challenges around security, governance, reliability, and ROI. Kevin shares why “AI sprawl” is becoming a serious issue, how model outages and hallucinations can derail critical workflows, and why retailers must avoid locking themselves into a single AI provider.

The conversation also draws parallels to earlier tech shifts like mobile and e-commerce, offering a grounded look at what retailers should prioritize now—and what to be cautious about—as AI moves from experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment.

Key Takeaways

Why AI is a strong fit across retail functions, from the store floor to legal and supply chain
The hidden risks of agentic AI, including data access, outages, and model drift
How governance, observability, and auditability are becoming non-negotiable
Why flexibility across AI models is critical as capabilities evolve at breakneck speed
Where retailers are seeing the biggest ROI today—from associate training to contract review
A realistic outlook on AI’s trajectory through 2026, including where hype may cool