The leaders present at NRF 2025, the world's largest retail fair that began on January 12th in New York, confirmed: Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the hottest topics at the moment. However, it is evident how the discussion is going far beyond a passing hype.
This is mainly due to your background: the data. Leaders of giants like Levi’s, Walmart, and Craig highlighted in their speeches that this is the true key to the success of this technology.
Several CEOs, CMOs, and vice presidents emphasized the importance of organizing and investing in quality data, readily available to drive AI across various areas. Only then will the efforts surrounding this technological tool work in favor of the entire business, bringing real benefits.
The Three 'Cs' of the Data Journey
Another interesting point in the debate about Generative AI at the fair was raised by Jennifer Acerra, Vice President of Customer Insights at Walmart. The executive presented the three essential "Cs" for a successful data journey: curiosity, collaboration, and courage.
Curiosity, according to her, is the driving force to explore opportunities from data. Team collaboration now makes discoveries a reality. And courage is essential to embrace new digital tools and turn each of their potential into concrete results.
Within this dynamic, it also becomes clear how much the role of the technology department has changed. CIOs and CTOs are no longer just support roles and are taking on strategic positions, actively participating in company decisions.
For this reason, there is an increasingly attentive focus on the training of professionals in the sector. They need to develop beyond a technical scope, understanding each particularity and objective of the business.
All these trends demonstrate the growing importance of technology for business success. The NRF 2025 makes it clear how much this scenario, driven by generative AI and data, is already a reality and should be a major agent in promoting transformative results in the future of retail.
