The IAB Connected Commerce Summit had one key focus: creating experiences that resonate deeply with consumers. Here’s what stood out. On stage were Mike Brunick, SVP, Head of Commerce Media at Yahoo; Devrie DeMarco, Managing Director at MediaLink/UTA; and Wendi Dunlap, EVP, Business Intelligence and Audience Science at Mediahub Worldwide.

Together, we dove into how AI is reshaping creative strategies and, most importantly, how it’s knitting together the online and offline worlds to build seamless customer experiences.

As we progress through 2025, the evolution of technology stands as a critical factor reshaping how brands connect with their customers. A confluence of consumer demands and technological advancements is fostering a new era in retail, where the focus is squarely on enhancing customer experiences. Within this landscape, three key trends have emerged: SoftPOS, immersive experiences, and digital identity. Each of these innovations presents a unique opportunity to redefine consumer engagement and streamline operations across the retail sector.

In recent years, the retail landscape has been transformed by the advent of automation, marking a significant shift in how consumers interact with products and services. Some of the technologies appearing in retail stores now include self-checkout stations, endless aisle kiosks and digital displays that incorporate Internet-of-Things devices to control content.

And as retailers seek to manage issues ranging from the high capital costs of expansion to the hits their bottom lines are taking because of inventory shrink, many are adopting automated retail solutions.

Genesys, a global cloud leader in AI-Powered Experience Orchestration, has released its latest research report, “The State of Customer Experience,” revealing critical insights into consumer expectations and the evolving priorities of customer experience (CX) leaders worldwide. Notably, nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers surveyed believe AI will improve the quality and speed of customer experience over the next two to three years. The good news is that organizations are focusing on the integration of AI into their CX strategies to close the gaps between the experiences they’re delivering today, and the services consumers want.

Personalization isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but thanks to AI, it’s now the secret sauce for brands looking to turn customer interactions into meaningful (and profitable) connections. AI is being used for everything from code generation and big data analytics to cybersecurity threat detection. Can it also help an organization’s diverse customer-facing initiatives deliver greater business value? Explore in this report:

Unified commerce is the next stage of omnichannel. Retailers have long understood the importance of an omnichannel strategy, with the focus on offering a consistent customer experience across all touchpoints including stores, websites, apps, and social media. But the tech stacks supporting these experiences were often siloed, and the lack of integration on the back end has created significant hurdles that cause friction for both retailers and their customers.

Effective lead time management is a critical factor in securing supply chain efficiency and cost control, since lead time represents the total time required for a product or material to move through the supply chain, as measured from the time of ordering to the time of delivery.

Lead time typically encompasses various supply chain stages, including order processing, manufacturing, transportation, and delivery. It can be scrutinised at a high level, by looking at overall supply chain lead time, or with more granularity by zooming in to elements such as supplier lead time and customer-order lead time.

As competition heats up and shoppers demand more than ever, standing out requires bold strategies and innovative thinking. In the year ahead, the most successful retailers will embrace emerging technologies, redefine loyalty and find new ways to create value — no matter where customers choose to shop.

What’s inside:

How generative AI is unlocking potential for faster, smarter business decisions