Retail has always been an industry defined by change, but what’s different now is the speed and complexity of that change.
AI is embedded in how retail work gets done, with growing pressure to deliver measurable results.
Across retail, teams are using AI to improve forecasting, personalize customer experiences, accelerate content production, and streamline operations. What was once experimental is now operational.
The real question is whether retailers have the talent to put AI to work. Increasingly, that gap is separating high-performing retailers from those struggling to keep pace.
Retailers are now operating in a more complex, higher-pressure environment. Consumers want seamless omnichannel experiences, faster fulfillment, and highly personalized interactions. At the same time, margins remain tight, and the need to operate more efficiently continues to grow.
Teams are being asked to move faster, work smarter, and deliver more with less. AI has created new ways to meet those demands, but it has also raised expectations across every function.
Most retailers have already made meaningful investments in AI and digital tools.
They have implemented new platforms, adopted automation, and expanded their data capabilities. Yet in many cases, the payoff hasn’t fully materialized.
Technology has often been layered in without fully rethinking how teams actually work. Marketing teams may have personalization tools but lack the workflows to scale campaigns. Merchandising and planning functions may have access to real-time data but still rely on manual decision-making. Store teams may receive insights they aren’t equipped to act on.
Without the right talent strategy in place, even the most advanced tools fall short.
AI is fundamentally changing how work happens across retail organizations.
As a result, roles are evolving. Work is becoming more cross-functional, with closer coordination across merchandising, marketing, and operations. And for many roles, the ability to interpret and act on AI-driven insights is becoming a core part of the job.
Retailers seeing results are the ones taking a more integrated approach to technology and talent.
Merchandising, marketing, and operations are becoming more connected, with shared visibility into data and performance.
AI is built into planning, decision-making, and execution rather than treated as a standalone innovation initiative.
Retailers are investing in people who can translate data and AI-driven insights into action across functions.
Full-time teams are complemented by freelance, consulting, and project-based talent to access specialized skills and accelerate execution.
As AI becomes more central to retail operations, the requirements for talent are changing.
Retailers are prioritizing skilled professionals who combine domain expertise with the ability to leverage technology, from merchants who understand data to marketers who can scale personalization and operators who can respond to real-time signals.
Workforce strategies are also becoming more targeted. Rather than broadly expanding headcount, companies are being more precise. This is fueling greater reliance on flexible talent models to fill capability gaps and support high-priority work.
Despite strong momentum, many retailers are still early in aligning technology, talent, and execution.
In practice, these areas are often managed separately, making it difficult to turn investments into consistent performance.
There is also a tendency to underestimate enablement. Tools don’t drive performance, people do. Without the right training, workflows, and accountability, even strong technology investments stall before delivering impact.
To get more value from AI, retailers need to focus on three areas:
Build teams with the skills to use AI and data-driven tools in practical, day-to-day ways. That means prioritizing candidates who can work with data, interpret AI outputs, and adapt as tools evolve.
Redesign processes so AI is built into day-to-day decision-making, not treated as a tool that sits unused. The goal is integration, not addition.
Use flexible talent models to scale faster and bring in specialized expertise when it matters most.
Retailers that take this approach are better positioned to move faster, execute more effectively, and adapt to ongoing change.
At 24 Seven, we work with retailers focused on turning technology investments into real business impact.
We see firsthand where the right mix of technology and talent accelerates performance, and where gaps slow progress. In many cases, the opportunity isn’t to add more tools, but to ensure the right talent, skills, and workflows are in place to make those tools effective.
We connect retailers with AI-fluent talent across marketing, merchandising, digital, and operations. Whether the need is to strengthen internal teams, bring in specialized expertise, or add flexible support for high-priority initiatives, our focus is on helping organizations move faster and execute with precision.
Ready to build a smarter retail workforce? Contact us to learn how 24 Seven can build the teams you need to stay ahead.