Retail Giants Reshape Tech Priorities to Boost Growth and Customer Engagement
Major retailers are overhauling their technology strategies to drive profitability as consumer spending slows, with AI and digital innovation taking center stage in their competitive playbooks.
Over recent months, the retail sector has fundamentally shifted its approach to technology investment as companies seek to strengthen margins in an environment marked by declining consumer confidence.
Industry leaders including Walmart and Costco are channeling significant technology budgets toward digital enhancements designed to unlock new revenue streams. Strengthening supply chain operations and elevating the shopping experience have emerged as dual priorities. Executives at retailers like Ulta Beauty and Home Depot have underscored the growing importance of artificial intelligence as a mechanism for tailoring offerings to individual customers and maintaining competitive relevance.
The strategic weight of technology and AI has expanded well beyond operational applications, now shaping boardroom decisions at the highest levels. Target made headlines in August by creating and filling its first chief AI officer position. Victoria's Secret similarly strengthened its leadership by bringing on Adrian Butler as executive vice president and chief technology officer. Victoria's Secret CEO Hillary Super remarked that Butler "has deep experience helping consumer brands use technology to drive innovation, strengthen operations and better serve customers."
Below is a collection of reporting that explores how leading retailers are embedding technology into their broader business strategies.
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