Akeneo’s 2025-2026 commerce outlook predicts a shift in consumer behavior towards relying on reliable product information across all sales channels. AI adoption in retail is growing, with major retailers like Walmart implementing ChatGPT-assisted checkouts. However, only 27% of shoppers who used AI checkouts intend to use them again, highlighting consumer reluctance.

Akeneo CEO Romain Fouache emphasizes the importance of consumer trust in AI to drive sales. The 2025 holiday season showed successful brands helping shoppers understand how AI enhances accuracy, convenience, and value. The outlook also projects a shift towards consumers using third-party apps over brand websites for purchases by 2026.

As conversational storefronts like Google, Amazon, and ChatGPT become more prevalent, brands must adapt to reach customers where they are. With the rise of agentic AI in managing purchases, Akeneo observes a trend towards delegating purchasing decisions to AI agents. Regulatory changes, such as a US Supreme Court ruling on customs duties and EU regulations, are expected to impact the retail environment.

Anticipated regulatory shifts may lead to increased interest in resale markets and circular shopping among brands and consumers. Despite investments in traceability systems, Akeneo notes that this information is often not integrated into customer-facing experiences. Fouache stresses the importance of transparency and storytelling in the age of AI and Digital Product Passports for brands.

Akeneo predicts that AI and regulatory changes will transform the retail landscape, impacting consumer behavior and brand strategies. The insights were originally shared by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Akeneo predicts AI, regulatory changes will transform retail