GROWTH SERIES 2026 | WEEK 4: THE AUTONOMOUS FRONTIER
The Birth of Agentic Commerce
In 2024, we experimented with Generative AI. In 2026, we execute through Agentic AI. The “Autonomous Frontier” isn’t just about robots on a warehouse floor; it’s about a “Lights-Out” cognitive supply chain where machines don’t just suggest—they decide. Gartner reports that by the end of 2026, 40% of enterprise applications will include task-specific AI agents. To maintain your competitive edge, you must move beyond human speed.
The Tipping Point of 2026
The numbers for 2026 serve as a stark wake-up call for the C-Suite:
- The Spending Surge: Worldwide retail technology spending is expected to hit $388 billion in 2026, with 91% of retail IT leaders prioritising AI as their top implementation goal (Gartner).
- The Maturity Shift: 2026 is defined less by novelty and more by operational maturity. Technologies that were experimental in 2024 are now embedded directly into core retail processes as a unified operating model.
- Profitability Reset: Retailers implementing AI across operations are realising total cost reductions of 20–35%, fundamentally restructuring their cost profiles to survive a low-margin environment.
The Strategic Mandate: Framing the New Playbook
To achieve Execution Velocity, your playbook must move from “Data Dashboards” to “Autonomous Actions.” Martin Bailie
1. Agentic Operations with Quorso : Julian Mills Phil Thorne
We are moving past the overwhelm of “too much data.” By partnering with Quorso, we transition to an Intelligent Management Platform that eliminates complexity. Recently expanded to 12,000 stores globally with Circle K, Quorso’s AI engine turns store data into personalised, high-impact actions for every Store Leader. It’s not just reporting; it’s automated prioritisation that unifies all levels of store operations into a single, action-focused platform.
2. Autonomous Pricing via Vusion : Sébastien Fourcy Roy Horgan
The shelf-edge is no longer passive; it is a real-time digital merchandising platform. We are collaborating with VusionGroup to deploy Electronic Shelf Labels (ESELs) at scale—most notably the full-estate rollout at Walmart Carrefour . This eliminates the lag time between market shifts and margin-saving adjustments, while in-store digital cameras guide colleagues directly to product gaps to speed up replenishment.
3. Simulated Resilience with Kallikor : Jonathan Barrett Will Lovatt
Supply chains must move from “policy-based” to “simulation-led.” Using Kallikor’s AI-native simulation platform, we allow leaders to test high-stakes decisions—like reshaping a fulfilment network or responding to a sudden “GLP-1 demand spike”—in a risk-free virtual environment. This is the Self-Healing Supply Chain in action, moving from ideas to execution with scientific certainty.
4. Edge Intelligence with Edgify : Zach Zigelbaum Mitchell Goldman
Vision technology is moving to the frontline. By leveraging Edgify, we bring AI to the Edge, processing data locally at the checkout or shelf. This reduces network load by 90% and ensures sub-second latency for real-time loss prevention and inventory monitoring. It’s about making the system work with the store, ensuring sub-second response times even when internet connectivity is unstable.
The Bailie Perspective:
The Frontier is no longer a distant horizon; it is the current frontline of global competition. At MWB Advisory Ltd, we provide the blueprints to turn your manual friction into autonomous flow.
About the Growth Series 2026:
This series is my weekly strategic roadmap for C-Suite leaders to move from Vision to Velocity. Recognised as a Global Top AI Leader for 2026 (#AiR), RETHINK Retail , I lead MWB Advisory Ltd in providing the blueprints to operationalise the ‘Next Now’.
