Session Topics Include How Retailers Are Building Emotional Connections, Cultivating Community and Managing Their Businesses in an AI-First World

Shoptalk, the leading global event for retail innovation, today released the full agenda for its Spring 2026 conference taking place March 24–26 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The three-day event will feature more than 180 speakers across 50-plus sessions focusing on retail’s AI transformation, from strategy to implementation, and the importance of human-centered shopping experiences in today’s tech-focused world.

“The Shoptalk Spring 2026 agenda was built for retail leaders who are navigating the most significant technological shift the industry has seen in decades,” said Zia Daniell Wigder, Global President, Shoptalk. “Sessions are designed to give attendees a concrete understanding of where AI is delivering measurable results today and where it’s headed. Attendees will also learn how they can build meaningful in-person experiences that will define the next era of retail.”

In addition to high-profile keynotes from senior leaders at Victoria’s Secret & Co., OpenAI, Wayfair, Reddit, New Balance and Dutch Bros, among others, programming will feature can’t-miss panels and sessions with expert insights and fresh perspectives that attendees can use to successfully steer their businesses through the ongoing AI evolution, including:

• “Strategic Leadership in the Age of AI” will feature Matt Baer, CEO of Stitch Fix, in conversation with Jason Del Rey, Founder of The Aisle and one of the most prominent journalists covering AI and commerce today. They’ll discuss how companies are using AI to reshape personalized retail experiences while maintaining the human elements that build trust and lasting customer relationships.
• “Building a Next Generation Shopping Experience” will spotlight insights from Anca Marola, Global Chief Digital Officer of Sephora, and Mahak Sharma, Product Partnerships, Search & Commerce at OpenAI, in a conversation with Hilary Milnes of Vogue Business. The discussion will focus on how companies can break through in an era of fragmented customer attention and what the future of shopping looks like as AI rewrites the rules of marketing and commerce.
• “AI Agents Will / Will Not Transform Retail” will feature Scot Wingo, CEO of ReFiBuy; Ekta Chopra, CDO of e.l.f. Beauty; Andrew Lipsman from Media, Ads + Commerce; and Sarah Marzano from EMARKETER. The panelists will argue for and against an agentic shopping future and what will drive or deter consumer adoption as bots grow more capable. They’ll also debate which retail categories stand to be most disrupted.
• “Assessing the Most Impactful AI Applications” will include panelists Alex Richardson, CTO of KHAITE; Christian Fortucci, CTO of David Yurman; and Katia Unlu, CCO of Boll & Branch. They will share their perspectives in a rapid-fire format led by Anne Mezzenga. The session will focus on which areas of retail will be most transformed by generative, agentic and other types of AI.
• “New Research on Consumer Attitudes and Behaviors” will feature Chad Lusk of Alvarez & Marsal Consumer & Retail Group, Michelle Evans of Euromonitor International and Friedrich Schwandt, CEO of ECDB. The session will present new research exploring shifts in shopping preferences and behaviors, consumer confidence, and outlook, and will shine a light on marketplaces, one of the most dynamic channels in modern retail.

To see the complete agenda, visit Shoptalk.com. For media registrations, click here.

About Shoptalk

A Hyve Group event, Shoptalk is widely known for organizing retail's best and fastest-growing events and bringing together thousands of industry changemakers to collaborate at unparalleled scale across a broad range of online and offline use cases and innovative new formats, including Tabletalks, Hosted Meetings and Meetups. Since 2016, Shoptalk has defined the retail industry's community of innovators by bringing established retailers and consumer brands together with direct-to-consumer and tech startups, large tech and Internet companies, venture capital investors, real estate developers, equity analysts, media and others. For more information, visit Shoptalk.com.

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