AI is not some distant future concept in retail. It’s already here, reshaping how brands connect with customers, build loyalty, and drive growth. 

But as our Retail Intelligence in Action podcast series revealed, success with AI isn’t about adopting every new tool or chasing the latest trend. It’s about building the right foundation, experimenting with purpose, and keeping humanity at the core.

Across conversations with leaders from Ometria, the Miami Dolphins, Knix, AllBirds, and beyond, five consistent AI lessons emerged. Let’s break them down:

A strong foundation powers effective AI adoption

“If you take the time to build a solid data foundation now, your business won’t fall behind, but without it, every year you start falling behind, and eventually it’ll be too late.”

— Ivan Mazour, CEO and Founder, Ometria

It may not be sexy, but it’s the reality: successful AI adoption hinges on a strong foundation. 

But what does a strong foundation look like in practice? Ivan Mazour and Djalal Lougouev, Ometria’s founders, go into depth on this in The new marketing tech stack: What still matters, what doesn’t, with their key recommendations being:

• Start with the data foundation: Focus on clean, complete, and accessible data.
• Think consolidation, rather than best-of-breed: Streamline your tech stack to avoid disconnected tools that limit insights for both marketers and AI
• Align leadership: Ensure CEOs, CMOs, and CTOs share the same vision and goals for AI initiatives.

Key takeaway for marketing leaders: Start with clean data, consolidate your tech, and get leadership on the same page. That’s the gold standard for fostering AI success.

Experiment with intention

“AI didn’t replace our strategy, it validated it. It gave us confidence to try marketing approaches we wouldn’t have tested otherwise.”

— Pri Shumate, Former CMO of the Miami Dolphins, F1 Miami Grand Prix, and Miami Open

When it comes to AI, the truth is there’s no established playbook; you have to create your own. So where do you start? The overwhelming message from our guests is to start small, then scale. 

In AI in retail: Finding your direction in unchartered territory, Lougouev reveals his mantra for successful AI experimentation:

“Start with a problem that’s small enough to test but painful enough to matter. Define your success metrics upfront, otherwise you won’t know if AI is really solving anything.”

For Nicole Tapscott’s team at Knix, this looked like making sure every AI experiment has a clear purpose, measurable goals, and a direct link to the brand’s values. 

For Pri Shumate’s team, covering the Miami Dolphins, F1 Miami GP, and Miami Open, this looked like using AI to verify intuition, testing instincts that once took weeks to validate. They had AI analyze audience data to confirm that attendees valued networking most, giving the team confidence to adapt their marketing strategy accordingly.

Key takeaway for marketing leaders: Begin with focused experiments, define success early, and use AI to test and strengthen your instincts.

AI amplifies creativity, it doesn’t replace it

“The opportunity isn’t in replacing models — it’s in letting creatives do what they do best: concept, cast, and create. AI helps us test and version ideas faster.”

— Nicole Tapscott, CMO of Knix

AI is reshaping the creative process, but it’s not replacing human imagination. Instead, it’s giving marketers the space to focus on strategy, storytelling, and ideas that connect with customers.

Many of our guests spoke to the power of AI to handle repetitive or analytical work, so marketers can focus on shaping ideas and building authentic brand narratives. 

For Knix, this balance is already in place. With the increasing demand from platforms to ‘feed the beast’ when it comes to ad creative, AI has been supporting their creative teams by helping them test and version ideas faster. It’s not replacing that original creative spark, but amplifying it. 

This shift is also changing how marketers work with agencies. Shumate notes that agencies remain vital for big, disruptive thinking:

“The jury’s still out on whether AI can create the big idea, but once you have it, AI makes everything else faster.”

In short, there’s still no replacement for the creativity humans bring. But AI can lighten the load for marketers both brand- and agency-side.

Key takeaway for marketing leaders: Treat AI as a creative accelerator. Let it handle scale and speed, while humans focus on judgment, vision, and emotional connection.

Authenticity and ethics are non-negotiable in the AI era

“Authenticity is what's really starting to separate brands who are thriving in the era of AI versus those who are getting lost in the noise.”

— Julie Channing, Fractional CMO

Authenticity has become a defining factor for brand success in the age of AI. 

Today’s consumers are drawn to brands that are genuine and transparent, particularly as AI becomes more embedded in marketing strategies.

Julie Channing, who currently works as a Fractional CMO and was the founding marketer at AllBirds, emphasizes how reputations are won and lost on authenticity in How to stay authentic in the age of AI. 

She highlights the need for brands to be transparent about their usage of AI, and cautions against falling victim to the ‘sea of sameness’: a state where brands all sound and look the same due to overreliance on the same AI tools. 

There’s also the ethical dimension. As AI tools become more powerful, leaders must navigate issues such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, intellectual property rights, and disclosure. Customers and regulators expect clarity on how AI is applied, where human oversight remains, and how decisions are made.

Key takeaway for marketing leaders: Use AI to elevate what your brand stands for, not to change it. Authenticity, transparency, and integrity are what turn innovation into long-term trust.

In summary: What we learned about AI

• AI success starts with structure. Strong data, consolidated technology, and aligned leadership are essential.
• Start small, scale smart. Experiment intentionally and let data validate intuition.
• Human creativity wins. AI should amplify imagination, not replace it.
• Authenticity builds trust. Transparency and ethics are key to lasting impact.
• Connection matters most. The best customer experiences still feel human, even when powered by AI.

Want more insights like this? Explore the full Retail Intelligence in Action series, every episode offers a fresh perspective on how AI is reshaping retail.

If you’re curious to see how AI can help your team build more authentic, meaningful connections at scale, explore Architect AI from Ometria.