Papa John's is undergoing a major digital transformation by partnering with PAR Technology to upgrade its point-of-sale systems across its restaurants. This initiative aims to leverage connected data for better decision-making and enhance customer experiences through AI-powered ordering systems. For example, the Papa John's multimodal ordering agent, created with Google, allows customers to engage with a digital agent, which assists them in placing orders by answering questions and solving common issues like estimating pizza quantities for groups.

OpenAI is shifting its agentic commerce strategy by sidelining its Instant Checkout feature in favor of facilitating transactions through merchant-specific ChatGPT apps. This move allows merchants like Target, The Knot, DoorDash and Instacart to integrate more seamlessly with ChatGPT, using the Agentic Commerce Protocol co-developed with Stripe. The change reflects a response to the complexities of transaction management, including stock status and sales tax, which are better handled by individual apps.

Quick-service restaurants, including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Chipotle and Yum! Brands, are increasingly adopting AI to overhaul operations and defend profit margins amid financial pressures. This technological shift aims to address declining sales and traffic, positioning AI as a key strategy for future growth. AI systems are being used for tasks ranging from automating drive-thru ordering and monitoring kitchen activity to optimizing supply chain management and refining loyalty programs and employee workflows.

Samsung plans to enter the smart glasses market this year with a device featuring a built-in camera that connects to smartphones. The glasses, developed in partnership with Google and chip designer Qualcomm, will leverage AI to process information and provide users with real-time data. With a market currently led by Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, Samsung's entry challenges Meta's dominance and highlights the growing interest in wearable AI technology.

Ecommerce enablement platform Stord is expanding its AI capabilities to help brands such as True Classic, Native and AG1 navigate the complexities of modern ecommerce. StordAI has new features like Chat, Search and Feed that transform operational data into actionable insights and help brands to compete with larger retailers. This expansion aims to address shopping cart abandonment, inventory inaccuracies, delivery clarity and other challenges that impact brand performance.

CVS Health has partnered with AI startup Simile to revolutionize market research by using "agentic twins," or AI-generated people, to simulate consumer behavior. The digital clones, created from real people's data, allow CVS to conduct faster, cost-effective research, replicating findings with up to 95% accuracy. CVS plans to expand its use of agentic twins to over 100,000, potentially reducing reliance on traditional market panels, but the technology still requires human oversight to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Retailers are investing in AI to create "delightfully human" shopping assistants to match consumers' readiness for them, according to an Accenture report, but recent failures, such as chatbots responding with incorrect information, underscore AI's growing pains and complexities. These autonomous systems, built on large language models like Google's Gemini, aim to provide more personalized customer service, but experts emphasize the need for robust governance to manage the risks they pose.

Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, failed to secure a preliminary injunction to stop enforcement of a California law mandating AI companies to disclose the data used to train their models. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, the law is part of California's initiative to regulate AI transparency and provide AI oversight. xAI contends the law threatens its trade secrets, but a federal court found its arguments insufficient to prove the law's unconstitutionality or infringement on free speech.

NRF Nexus 2026 enters a new chapter July 22–24 at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo. With a brand-new venue, a redesigned program and a broadened audience of decision-makers, NRF Nexus removes the boundaries between commerce, creativity and technology. Designed as an intimate executive forum, NRF Nexus brings together senior leaders across digital, marketing and technology to define what comes next through deeper conversations, candid exchanges and off-the-record dialogue. This is where ideas connect, strategies align and retail evolves in real time. Register now.

Coach drives brand growth by prioritizing deep, human-centered consumer understanding. Jennifer Yue, who leads strategy and consumer insights at Coach and Tapestry, joined the Retail Gets Real podcast to share how the brands have shifted from data-heavy research to immersive, in-home conversations that reveal emotional drivers behind consumer behavior. Yue emphasizes that AI will enhance personalization, while physical stores will remain vital spaces for connection and community. Listen now.