What NRF 2026 Revealed About Retail’s Next Operating Model

By: Andy Szanger, CDW

NRF 2026 marked a definitive turning point for the retail IT channel, signaling a shift from debating digital transformation to operationalizing it at scale. This year’s theme, “The Next Now,” highlighted an industry moving beyond isolated AI pilots toward “Agentic AI” — autonomous systems capable of orchestrating complex workflows across the enterprise.

The frontline associate remains retail’s strategic multiplier. Competition will be defined by speed of integration and the ability to empower humans with AI.

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