In this Retail Technology Spotlight episode, Amy Vener, Global Retail & Consumer Goods Marketing Director for Commercial Cloud & AI at Microsoft, joins Omni Talk to unpack the main takeaways from NRF and where retailers should focus next as agentic commerce moves from theory to execution.

Drawing on her experience across Walmart, Pinterest, and Microsoft, Amy shares how retailers are shifting away from AI hype and toward real, measurable outcomes. From conversational shopping agents and merchandising insights to connected stores and cultural readiness, this episode breaks down how retailers can drive real return on intelligence in 2026 and beyond.

If you’re trying to figure out where AI fits into your merchandising, marketing, store operations, or supply chain strategy (and how to start without boiling the ocean), this conversation is for you.

Key Topics covered:

• 00:03:08 – Why “what problem are you trying to solve?” still matters more than the tech

• 00:07:34 – Agentic commerce use cases across marketing, merchandising, and operations

• 00:15:50 – How conversational data is influencing assortment and product development

• 00:10:01 – The role of connected stores and digital twins in retail decision-making

• 00:09:09 / 00:19:58 – Lessons from brands like Estée Lauder, Ralph Lauren, and Coca-Cola

• 00:23:07 – Why culture and team readiness are critical to AI adoption

• 00:25:42 – How retailers should engage Microsoft to drive faster business impact

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

#retailtech #retailAI #agenticcommerce #connectedstore #Microsoft #NRF #retailinnovation #omnitalk #retailpodcast #digitaltransformation

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