The Link Between Unified Commerce And Retail AI Transformation

InnovationThe Link Between Unified Commerce And Retail AI TransformationByMichael Scheibner,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)May 19, 2026, 09:45am EDTMichael Scheibner is CEO and Chairman of the Board at GK Software, a Fujitsu company and global leader in retail technology. gettyRetail leaders are serious about implementing AI. According to Gartner, 91% of retail IT leaders have prioritized AI as the top technology to implement in 2026. There's a good reason for this, as AI can enhance personalization and optimize pricing, promotions, fraud detection and real-time associate guidance at the point of transaction across convenience stores, fuel stations, grocery outlets and other online and brick-and-mortar retail formats.​ ​This momentum is also being driven by changes in consumer behavior. A recent Adobe report found that U.S. e-commerce site visits originating from generative AI tools increased 393% year over year in March 2026 and are of a higher quality than other traffic from other channels. ​There’s a problem, though: Many retailers lack the right IT infrastructure and connected data to take advantage of AI. Retailers are aware of this issue, with data infrastructure being the top priority for AI adoption, according to a recent survey by Verizon Business and Cisco.Disconnected systems and data are barriers to AI.Retailers have typically taken a “best-of-breed” approach to implementing technology over the years, layering new applications on top of old ones, connecting them with complex APIs and interfaces in order to deploy new services. When it comes to AI adoption, this IT infrastructure can become increasingly difficult to maintain. ​This approach has enabled retailers to quickly deploy new services, but it also creates highly complex, fragmented technology infrastructures. For instance, siloed,...