Retail, an old industry, is now standing at a watershed moment. AI is no longer just a high-end tool in laboratories; it is becoming the central nervous system of the retail industry—from managing inventory, serving customers, and advertising to every link in the supply chain, AI is deeply infiltrating.

Industry insiders agree: by 2027, AI will no longer be regarded as "a certain technological function," but will become the underlying operating system of the entire business. A chief scientist at a tech company put it plainly—"AI is actually a new computational paradigm." The deeper meaning behind this is clear: this is not just a technological upgrade; it’s a platform-level revolution.

Where is the true point of competition? It’s not about whether to use AI, but about how to turn AI into your own weapon. One industry consultant said, "We have moved beyond chatbots; now we are heading toward systems that can truly execute and get the job done." This requires companies to make bold moves—restructuring operational processes and innovating management frameworks.

Interestingly, retailers are no longer passively selecting tools but are starting to "build their own blocks"—carefully choosing the combination of various AI models and tools that best fit their business logic. The benefit of this approach is obvious: they won’t be led around by a major supplier. Observers of this trend note, "This is no longer a retail story; it’s a technology story"—implying that whoever makes more sophisticated technology choices will win.

From AI that merely "looks" to analyze, to intelligent agents that can "act," this transformation is accelerating. The way retail is played has truly changed.