In retail, the concept of the future related to artificial intelligence implementation is no longer a distant reality. The research “State of the AI Connected Customer“, conducted by Salesforce, reveals that a large portion of Brazilian consumers believe AI significantly improves the shopping experience: 44% of Gen Z, 53% of millennials and 43% of baby boomers. In this sense, AI agents represent potential within companies and had a strong presence at NRF 2025, the largest retail industry event held in New York.
The event addressed two major global trends impacting retail – the hyper-personalization of the shopping experience and the strategic integration of intelligent agents into operational processes. As allies in the sector’s intense transformation, AI applications enable campaign personalization and instant, valuable interactions between retailers and consumers. The sophistication of AI agents was highlighted as a fast and precise capability for executing complex tasks and detailed business analyses, enhancing overloaded systems and addressing potential challenges faced by organizations.
During NRF, in an interview with Times Brasil, Juliana Bonamin, VP of Sales at Mondelez, stated that artificial intelligence is already very present in Brazil, “AI is used for gains in logistical efficiency and capturing consumer data, ensuring a better retail experience. Mondelez has invested heavily in technology in recent years and we will continue to bet even more, along with acquiring and exploring other strategies to support efficiency and productivity gains.”
According to NRF’s organizers, AI-digitally influenced sales are estimated to have already surpassed 60% at the start of this year, compared to the same period in 2024. This growth is driven by hyper-personalization, assertive communication, quick decision-making, and automation of essential tasks such as customer service and inventory restocking.
In Brazil, Yalo, an intelligent sales platform, recently announced AI agents that recreate human salespeople with artificial intelligence, designed to help companies develop a virtual workforce capable of personalizing interactions, optimizing processes, and improving the customer shopping experience. Soon, companies will be able to rely on AI-equipped virtual workers as part of their teams, available 24/7.
The company operates in Latin America, serving major B2B clients such as Nestlé, Coca-Cola Femsa, Unilever, and Mondelez. With the goal of helping major brands boost their omnichannel sales, Yalo develops a personalized sales strategy with its clients, in addition to heavily trained AI virtual assistants.
“Intelligent agents provide personalized, comprehensive, and specific assistance, even with some obstacles, such as cultural and economic differences in some regions. We believe that the advantages of artificial intelligence applied to retail will help overcome potential challenges,” explains Manuel Centeno, co-founder and General Manager Brazil of Yalo.
In 2025, supply chains are expected to become even more adaptable, efficient, and resilient. The adoption of AI is enabling companies not only to track inventory more effectively but also to anticipate and adapt to potential disruptions before they become problems.
