AI in retail: the transformation of the industry through open source

For years, artificial intelligence (AI) in retail has been treated as promise. Isolated experiments, personalization pilots and point automations dominated the discourse of leaders, managers and decision makers. However, the last National Retail Federation (NRF), the largest international retail fair in the market, held in the first half of January, showed everyone that this step was left behind. The segment entered a more mature phase, integrated directly with an omnichannel strategy, causing, gradually, AI to stop being a differential and becomes an operational part of business.

The booths and lectures in New York made it clear that the transformation is no longer in “testing” technology for tailored solutions and side business aspects, but in connecting data, processes and decisions at scale, in a scenario of high costs, demanding consumers and increasingly complex supply chains.In a context of less evident opportunities and increasingly eager brands to retain customers, artificial intelligence presents itself as an integrated methodology to reduce friction, increase predictability and sustain growth.

It is not just about adopting ready-made solutions to boost productivity and make service more flexible, but rather about building a whole perception in retail regarding the importance of open technologies and collaborative architectures.Powerful catalyst of innovation, open source has been essential for companies of different sizes have increased their ability to adapt to new market trends, through more flexible, agile and, above all, resilient structures. 

Artificial intelligence: from theory to practice

For many, this leap into the artificial intelligence ecosystem may seem like a barrage, especially for Small, Medium and Micro companies that rarely have room in the budget to make investments in medium and short-term technology, however, a recent survey by NVIDIA points to a diverse scenario State of AI in Retail and CPG it indicates that more than 58% of the global business ecosystem actively uses AI solutions, tools or methodologies, a 16 percent jump from past research.  

Although there is one gap from 21 points between the ways of using technology for businesses with more than 1 thousand employees (68%) and micro, medium and small companies (49%), AI has become unanimous to leverage revenues, reduce operating costs and increase operational efficiency and productivity of teams on different fronts of the segment. Whether for the supply chain ecosystem, back office or physical stores, 91% of decision makers agree that investing in artificial intelligence is in plans for 2026 through solutions that bring agile and concrete results.

As emphasized by the Sebrae Trending Guide, organized especially for NRF, in the Brazilian reality these investments in technology translate: in the adoption of agentic AI (also known as AI agents); in the customization of the customer buying journey in multichannel; in the anticipation of operational bottlenecks seeking not only to avoid stock shortages, but also integration of operations in multiple channels of operation and; mainly, in increasing the security of operations, whether in e-commerce, in marketplaces or even in the face-to-face service in stores.

In general, the document suggests that the future of the area represents a decisive approach to the technology of the core business observing the benefits, success stories and referrals for this year, it is clear that AI, as well as other sister methodologies such as automation and modernization of technical infrastructure, will be indispensable for business success and improved customer service. As the report itself emphasizes, it is not a question of delegating to AI and new methodologies all the creativity, innovation and ingenuity of the segment, but rather make use of these solutions so that the customer can human touch in the service, in the conversations and in the direct treatment with the public, be more assertive and decisive.

Open source: an investment in retail intelligence

As much as technology presents unquestionable and lasting benefits for different types of businesses, in Brazil, organizations still face obstacles in their adoption. According to a recent report by the Trade-off, available in the column of Kelly Carvalho, advisor of the agency, more than a problem of high cost of implementation (36%), the biggest barrier experienced by companies is cultural obstacle, that is, they do not have a prepared environment (processes, people management, training of professionals, validation of results) to absorb these agile changes.

In this scenario of challenges, open source presents itself as a great ally for companies to realize the on-boarding in AI and other technologies, in a progressive, uncomplicated way and at a low acquisition cost. Its differential is to offer hundreds of thousands of free software, courses and training for organizations to build their own technological base. More than a simple way to immerse themselves in the vast world of technology, the open methodology is based on a universal collaborative culture, in which each individual contributes to a greater good. Also known as pay it forward, The principle has guided the community to leverage innovation over the past 40 years.

This collaborative approach allows teams to adjust AI models, customize flows and create competitive differentials quickly, especially when combined with their own customer data, inventory and behavior, something essential in the face of the demands for continuous customization and integrated logistics discussed at NRF 2026. But speaking is easy, difficult is putting all these ideas into practice. Therefore, two success cases deserve our attention to understand the potential of this business:

Walmart: Scaling AI with open architectures

Walmart has proven that open source can become a strategic pillar in global scale operations.The company has adopted open technologies such as Hadoop, Spark and a Kubernetes architecture to build and scale its data and artificial intelligence systems, integrating millions of transactions, inventories and interactions between physical and digital channels in real time

This flexibility has allowed Walmart to not only cover omnichannel as an operational standard, but also refine demand forecasts, optimize logistics routes and customize experiences at scale, thus transforming its entire productive ecosystem.In other words, thanks to open source solutions and methodologies, the international retail giant can improve its planning on American soil and project its expansion to different territories in the Americas and, especially, in other markets with its own habits, cultures and economies

Magazine Luiza: open source as a growth lever in Brazil

In Brazil, Magazine Luiza exemplifies how retailers can incorporate AI based on open technologies to adapt to the local reality. By building its technological platform on open source methodologies, integrating data from physical stores, marketplace and digital channels, the company has gained agility to adjust order flows, anticipate logistics bottlenecks and customize offers based on real Brazilian purchasing behavior.

This ability to connect data and processes internally translates into greater operational efficiency, a clear response to national challenges of geographic distance and regional diversity, faced by retailers from different segments and, most importantly, presents itself as a strategic basis for planning the digital journey of the company, whether when implementing artificial intelligence and agentic AI innovations or just in automating responses, scripts and other impact technologies for the company.

Retail and open source: an AI future in sight

Given this scenario, it is evident that artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic trend to consolidate itself as a structural component of contemporary retail. In addition to specific gains in efficiency and scale, AI has become a link between data, processes and decisions, allowing companies to respond more accurately to the demands of increasingly connected and demanding consumers. The maturity pointed out by NRF, for example, reinforces that the competitive differential is not only in the adoption of technology, but in its deep integration with the market core business, respecting local contexts, operational scales and, above all, preserving the human role in building relevant experiences for customers.

In this movement of technology protagonism, open source asserts itself as a decisive ally of democratization and sustainability of innovation in retail. By breaking down cost barriers, accelerating organizational learning and fostering a collaborative culture guided by innovation, collaboration and security, open solutions allow companies of all sizes to advance progressively in the digital transformation journey.In short, investing in open source is no longer a technical choice and today has become a long-term strategic decision for a more resilient, adaptable and customer-centric retail, whether in the international market or in our backyard of great opportunities.

*Fabian Assisi he is commercial director for Red Hat Brazil