Christine Russo with Verizon CTO James Hughes on the Infrastructure Powering Retail AI

Christine Russo sits down with James Hughes, Retail CTO at Verizon Business, for an onsite conversation recorded at NRF 2026, unpacking how AI, network infrastructure, and immersive technologies are actually reshaping retail operations and in-store experiences.

Hughes breaks down where AI delivers real productivity gains today, from helping store associates locate products faster to enabling immersive customer journeys like virtual try-ons and AI-powered shopping assistants. He explains why storytelling matters when selling AI internally, and why most retail innovation fails without the right connectivity layer underneath it.

The conversation dives into 5G, fixed wireless access, and edge infrastructure as practical enablers, not futuristic hype. Hughes shares real examples of how poor in-store connectivity can derail personalization, retail media activations, and computer vision deployments, and why infrastructure teams must be brought into innovation conversations much earlier.

Russo and Hughes also explore IoT, automation, and computer vision in stores, including how retailers are using data from cameras, beacons, and tags to improve conversion, staff performance, inventory visibility, and loss prevention. The episode closes with a candid look at the tension between CMOs pushing innovation and CIOs protecting core systems, and what it takes to modernize retail technology without disrupting the business.

This episode is a grounded, operator-level look at what it really takes to scale AI in retail, straight from the floor at NRF 2026.