{"id":5027,"date":"2026-03-26T12:52:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T12:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apadmi.com\/insights\/inside-shoptalk-ai-authenticity\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T11:32:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T11:32:50","slug":"inside-shoptalk-ai-authenticity","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/inside-shoptalk-ai-authenticity\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Shoptalk 2026: AI, authenticity, and a retail industry still figuring it out"},"content":{"rendered":"<div\n\tclass=\"overflow-x-clip text-on-background flow-root\"\n\t\t>\n\t<div class=\"wrap:grid wrap:grid-cols-[1fr_minmax(0,90rem)_1fr] *:col-2\">\n\t\t<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center-safe gap-18 md:gap-8 block-inset-x pt-64 pb-64\">\n\t<h1\t\tclass=\"uppercase text-36 md:text-64 leading-none font-black text-balance max-w-3xl text-center\"\n\t>\n\t\tInside Shoptalk 2026: AI, authenticity, and a retail industry still figuring it out\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\n\t<\/div>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div\n\tclass=\"overflow-x-clip text-on-background flow-root\"\n\t\t>\n\t<div class=\"wrap:grid wrap:grid-cols-[1fr_minmax(0,90rem)_1fr] *:col-2\">\n\t\t<img\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/abstract-shopping-trolleys-orange-insights.webp\"\n\talt=\"Blurred shopping trolleys in orange light\"\n\tclass=\"object-cover aspect-2\/1 mid:aspect-cinema rounded-16 bg-(--img-avg-color)\"\n\t\t\tdata-brightness=\"light\"\n\t\tstyle=\" --img-avg-color: #7A531C;\"\n\/>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div\n\tclass=\"overflow-x-clip text-on-background flow-root\"\n\t\t>\n\t<div class=\"wrap:grid wrap:grid-cols-[1fr_minmax(0,90rem)_1fr] *:col-2\">\n\t\t<div class=\"block-inset-x group\/bodyCopy flex flex-col mid:gap-y-16 max-w-xl box-content mid:mx-auto pt-64 mid:pt-72 pb-64 mid:pb-72\">\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t<p class=\"text-pretty w-fill font-bold text-16 leading-minimal sm:text-20 not-first:mt-24 mid:not-first:mt-32\">\n\t\t\tShoptalk Spring descended on Vegas from 23\u201327 March, and we were fortunate enough to be there for the whole shebang. 25,000 steps a day, back-to-back sessions, meetings, and run-ins\u2026 and a constant undercurrent of conversation about how quickly retail and digital are evolving.\t\t<\/p>\n\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-y-24 w-fill mt-44 mid:mt-24\">\n\t\t\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tAlongside the main conference, Apadmi hosted a private dinner with Insider and<a href=\"https:\/\/antavo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Antavo<\/a>\u00a0at Caram\u00e1 in Mandalay Bay, and we also attended a Women in Commerce breakfast at the W Hotel, sponsored by<a href=\"https:\/\/pacvue.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Pacvue<\/a>. Between all of that and time spent with partners across the week, there was a lot to take in.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\t<strong>What we came away with most was not a neat list of certainties. In fact, quite the opposite.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tThere are more questions than answers right now. There is a huge amount of theory, bold predictions, and data points, but not enough real-world use cases to back it all up. And that\u2019s okay. That is exactly why events like Shoptalk matter; retail, digital and customer behaviour are all evolving so quickly that the smartest people in the room are often still working it out in real time.<\/p>\n\n<h2\tdata-slug=\"the-big-themes\"\n\tclass=\"text-balance font-black uppercase text-18 leading-tight sm:text-28 text-start\"\n>\n\tThe big themes<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tAcross very different sessions, a few common threads kept surfacing.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\t<strong>AI is everywhere, but use it with caution<\/strong>: not in a dismissive way, but more in a pragmatic, test and learn, \u2018use it in the right way for your business\u2019 kind of way. Everyone is trying to understand where AI genuinely improves the customer experience and where the industry might be getting ahead of itself.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\t<strong>Authenticity<\/strong>: brands are asking themselves how to stay human in a world increasingly shaped by AI, automation and creator-led discovery. Whether it was loyalty, content, social commerce or customer experience, the challenge felt the same: how do you scale relevance without losing what makes your brand feel real?<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\t<strong>Data readiness<\/strong>: better product data, better customer data, better content structures, better systems. It came up again and again, not as the week&#8217;s most glamorous topic, but as one of the most important.<\/p>\n\n<h2\tdata-slug=\"1-agentic-commerce-big-shift-or-overhyped\"\n\tclass=\"text-balance font-black uppercase text-18 leading-tight sm:text-28 text-start\"\n>\n\t1. Agentic commerce: big shift, or overhyped?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tOne of the most interesting sessions we attended was a debate on whether\u00a0<strong>AI agents will or will not transform retail<\/strong>\u00a0(cite all hosts and speakers\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/spring.shoptalk.com\/agendas\/2026-agenda?day=TuesdayMarch24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>here<\/u><\/a>).<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tWhat made it so compelling was that the panel could not reach a consensus on the definition. For some, agentic commerce means AI making autonomous purchasing decisions on behalf of the consumer. For others, it\u2019s more about AI-supported discovery, where tools like ChatGPT or Gemini help people research, compare and narrow down choices before they buy.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tA lot of the conversation landed on the fact that while consumers are clearly starting to use AI in discovery, full autonomous commerce still feels some way off. There was discussion about how AI is shortening the funnel, helping people get to answers faster, but not necessarily removing the human from the decision-making process. That felt like an important distinction.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tA few things stood out:<\/p>\n\n<ul\tclass=\"[&amp;_:where(ul,ol)]:ml-20 list-outside pl-20 marker:text-icon-accent marker:font-custom-markers list-bullet! text-16\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tAdoption is growing, but unevenly.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tAI is having a greater impact on discovery than on checkout.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tRetailers should focus on product data, content, and experimentation before making huge bets.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tThe fear that traffic will disappear overnight feels overblown.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tThe smartest response right now is measured action, not panic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tThe consensus was that this is evolving fast, and brands absolutely need to prepare, but not by throwing huge budgets at unproven models too early. In other words,\u00a0<strong>don\u2019t ignore the shift, but don\u2019t let the hype drive the strategy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2\tdata-slug=\"2-loyalty-is-getting-more-emotional\"\n\tclass=\"text-balance font-black uppercase text-18 leading-tight sm:text-28 text-start\"\n>\n\t2. Loyalty is getting more emotional<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tAnother standout session looked at&nbsp;<strong>emotional versus financial loyalty mechanics<\/strong>. For years, loyalty conversations have centred on points, discounts and cashback. Those things still matter, but the brands seeing the most traction are blending commercial value with emotional connection.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tThere were some brilliant examples of delayed rewards and wallet-based offers designed not just to trigger a transaction, but to encourage a return visit. Creating a reason to come back, rather than just discounting the first purchase, is a smart move.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tPetSmart is a strong example. Its loyalty strategy blends transactional value with emotional elements, such as donations to charity and celebrating moments that matter for pet owners. The result is not just better engagement, but a deeper brand connection.&nbsp;<strong>When customers feel aligned with a brand\u2019s values, they behave differently.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tA few loyalty takeaways that felt especially relevant:<\/p>\n\n<ul\tclass=\"[&amp;_:where(ul,ol)]:ml-20 list-outside pl-20 marker:text-icon-accent marker:font-custom-markers list-bullet! text-16\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tOmni-channel customers remain the most valuable.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tDigital is making personalisation more precise and, therefore, more powerful.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tEmotional loyalty is not fluffy branding; it can drive real commercial outcomes.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tStore associates still play a huge role in loyalty adoption and experience.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tCommunity, relevance and recognition matter just as much as reward value.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\t<strong>Loyalty is no longer just about giving something back; it\u2019s about giving people a reason to care.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h2\tdata-slug=\"3-reinventing-brands-for-the-next-generation\"\n\tclass=\"text-balance font-black uppercase text-18 leading-tight sm:text-28 text-start\"\n>\n\t3. Reinventing brands for the next generation<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tA broader brand reinvention session, featuring voices from&nbsp;<strong>Papa John\u2019s, Clinique and others<\/strong>, brought together different sectors wrestling with similar questions.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tAt Papa John\u2019s, the focus was heavily on digital channels, particularly owned channels like the app and website, and how much of the business now comes through digital ordering. Beyond the channels themselves, what was interesting was the emphasis on storytelling in those touchpoints.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tClinique offered a very different but equally relevant perspective. Its reinvention is not about abandoning heritage, but about expressing it in a more modern way. Reconnecting with their dermatologist-led roots while leaning into TikTok, creators and AI-powered personalisation felt like a strong example of how legacy brands can evolve without losing themselves.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tWhat linked these stories together was this:&nbsp;<strong>the best reinvention is not random reinvention<\/strong>. It\u2019s about being clear on what made the brand matter in the first place, then finding better, more relevant ways to express that today. Finding the balance between heritage and reinvention was a hot topic throughout the week.<\/p>\n\n<h2\tdata-slug=\"4-new-balance-heritage-scale-and-staying-relevant\"\n\tclass=\"text-balance font-black uppercase text-18 leading-tight sm:text-28 text-start\"\n>\n\t4. New Balance: heritage, scale and staying relevant<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tHearing Joe Preston, CEO of New Balance, talk about the brand was particularly insightful. New Balance has leveraged its heritage as a strength while continuing to broaden its appeal across generations. The \u201cdad shoe\u201d story, the revival of classic lines, and the ability to span performance and lifestyle all showed how the brand is meeting very different consumer groups without losing brand coherence.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tA few things we found especially interesting:<\/p>\n\n<ul\tclass=\"[&amp;_:where(ul,ol)]:ml-20 list-outside pl-20 marker:text-icon-accent marker:font-custom-markers list-bullet! text-16\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tContinued investment in physical retail, with 80 new stores planned in 2025.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tSignificant flagship investment to elevate brand expression.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tApparel is becoming a serious growth driver.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tLocalised store strategies based on audience and location.<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"pl-16 text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4]\">\n\tA balanced approach between wholesale and direct-to-consumer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tIn a week full of conversations about the future, this was a useful reminder that\u00a0<strong>strong brands still win by being consistent, investing in experience, and knowing exactly who they are.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h2\tdata-slug=\"5-jessica-alba-youtube-creators-and-authentic-content\"\n\tclass=\"text-balance font-black uppercase text-18 leading-tight sm:text-28 text-start\"\n>\n\t5. Jessica Alba, YouTube, creators and authentic content<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tJessica Alba joined a panel with YouTube to discuss creators, commerce, and authentic content.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tThis talk landed because it sat right at the intersection of brand, media and shopping behaviour. The idea that creators are collapsing the sales funnel is not new, but it does feel more real than ever. Content is not just driving awareness now; it is driving consideration and purchase much more directly.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tShopping tags, social commerce, creator-led product storytelling, and the blending of entertainment with transaction all point to a more compressed path to purchase. But what stood out most was the emphasis on authenticity. Jessica Alba talked about the value of direct creator-brand relationships and the shift away from overly manufactured, committee-led content.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tThis was connected to a wider question running through Shoptalk:&nbsp;<strong>how do brands stay authentic when algorithms and AI increasingly shape content, discovery and decision-making?&nbsp;<\/strong>The answer was not to resist change, but to lean in to formats and partnerships that still feel human.<\/p>\n\n<h2\tdata-slug=\"\"\n\tclass=\"text-balance font-black uppercase text-18 leading-tight sm:text-28 text-start\"\n>\n\t6. Consumer attitudes towards AI: readiness matters more than rhetoric<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tConsumer attitudes towards AI was a key theme. Discussions focused on how AI is moving from discovery to decision support, and how businesses are preparing for that shift. There was a lot of focus on maturity models, data readiness, security, governance, and the move from experimentation to industrialisation. This isn\u2019t about certainty, but about being ready.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tThe practical message was clear: having data is not enough.&nbsp;<strong>Brands need a clear goal for AI, understand which channels matter most, what stays direct versus what is indirect, and how to protect customer relationships as new AI-led experiences emerge.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h2\tdata-slug=\"more-questions-than-answers\"\n\tclass=\"text-balance font-black uppercase text-18 leading-tight sm:text-28 text-start\"\n>\n\tMore questions than answers<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tThere are more questions than answers right now, and that is what makes this moment so interesting.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tAI is moving fast, consumer behaviour is shifting, discovery is fragmenting, loyalty is becoming more emotional, and brands are trying to modernise without losing authenticity. Creator-led commerce is changing how products get found and bought. Everyone is talking about data, but every piece of data can tell a different story depending on which part you choose to emphasise.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tIn many of the debates, one speaker would make a compelling case for dramatic transformation, while another would make an equally compelling case for caution. In many ways, both were right.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"*:link:underline text-16 md:text-18 leading-minimal md:leading-[1.4] text-start\">\n\tUncertainty is not a bad thing; it\u2019s the reality of working in digital. Tools change, channels change, and language changes, but the challenge stays the same: understand people, stay relevant, and keep adapting.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div\n\tclass=\"overflow-x-clip text-on-background flow-root bg-orange-300\"\n\t\t\tdata-theme=\"orange-light\"\n\t\t>\n\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t<div\n\tclass=\"py-64 md:py-144 block-inset-x flex items-center justify-center relative isolate overflow-clip js-block-flagship\"\n\tdata-theme=\"default\"\n\t>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"max-w-7xl max-mid:max-w-xl bg-background rounded-28 p-32 flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-32 text-on-background md:items-center w-fill sm:w-fit md:w-fill\">\n\t\t<img\n\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Apadmi-logo-white-square-rotation.webp\"\n\talt=\"Apadmi logo on an orange background\"\n\tclass=\"object-cover aspect-2\/3 sm:aspect-3\/2 rounded-20 sm:max-w-xl md:max-w-md max-md:mx-auto max-md:w-fill bg-(--img-avg-color)\"\n\t\t\tdata-brightness=\"light\"\n\t\tstyle=\" --img-avg-color: #FC753D;\"\n\/>\n\t\t<div class=\"sm:max-w-xl max-md:mx-auto\">\n\t\t\t<h2\t\t\t\tclass=\"text-36 md:text-44 leading-none font-black uppercase text-balance\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Let&#8217;s build what&#8217;s next<\/span>\n\t<span aria-hidden=\"true\">Let&#8217;s build what&#8217;s next<\/span>\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"mt-20 md:mt-16\">\n\t\t\t\t\tWe work with ambitious organisations to design, build, and scale digital products that solve real problems, improve customer experiences, and deliver measurable impact.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<a\thref=\"\/contact\"class=\"focus:outline-hidden focus-visible:outline-auto transition uppercase leading-none outline-offset-8 disabled:grayscale disabled:pointer-events-none select-none px-24 py-18 rounded-full font-semibold text-16 bg-accent text-on-accent hocus:bg-on-accent hocus:inset-ring hocus:inset-ring-accent hocus:text-accent button max-md:mt-24 md:ml-36 max-md:mx-auto shrink-0\">\n\t\n\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\tContact us\t<\/span>\n\n\t<\/a>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div\n\tclass=\"overflow-x-clip text-on-background flow-root\"\n\t\t>\n\t<div class=\"wrap:grid wrap:grid-cols-[1fr_minmax(0,90rem)_1fr] *:col-2\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":5770,"template":"","meta":{"es_utils_meta_schema":"","esPageTheme":"default","esPageBackground":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5027","insight","type-insight","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Inside Shoptalk 2026: AI, authenticity, and a retail industry still figuring it out &#8211; 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