Retail AI Readiness Report 2026

AI ambition is high.

Retail readiness has not caught up.

Retail leaders understand the potential of AI, but many organisations still lack the strategy, data, governance and technology foundations needed to turn experimentation into measurable value.

Created by Validify and WPP Enterprise Solutions, the Retail AI Readiness Report 2026 brings together current retail insight and transformation expertise to examine what is helping, and hindering, meaningful AI adoption.

The readiness gap

The research reveals some of the challenges sitting between AI ambition and successful delivery:

The opportunity is significant, but tools alone will not close the gap.

0 %

of AI projects lack a clear roadmap

0 %

are affected by leadership drift

0 %

are held back by immature data practices

0 %

of AI projects lack a clear roadmap

What you’ll learn

Download the report to explore:

1

Where retailers currently stand on AI readiness

2

The organisational and technical barriers slowing progress

3

Why leadership, data and governance matter as much as technology

4

Where retailers need external expertise and support

5

Practical steps for moving from experimentation to measurable outcomes

Who is it for?

The report is designed for senior leaders working across:

Download the report

Understand the gaps, compare the evidence and identify where your organisation needs to focus next.

Validify helps retailers and consumer brands make better technology decisions through retail intelligence, technology matching and direct insight from the people selecting and implementing technology.

WPP Enterprise Solutions brings together technology, data, AI and transformation expertise to help organisations deliver connected customer experiences and sustainable growth.