Europe Must Close Its AI Gap, Says NRF Europe Director

Artificial intelligence has dominated retail strategy discussions over the past two years. The question is no longer whether retailers should invest in AI, but how quickly they can deploy it at scale. For European retailers, that challenge has become increasingly urgent.

Speaking with Alex Rezvan, Founder of The Retail Podcast, Annabelle Serres, Show Director of NRF Retail's Big Show Europe, said retailers across the continent are actively exploring how AI can transform their businesses, but many continue to face barriers that competitors in Asia Pacific simply do not. Serres had been in the Show Director role for just three months at the time of the conversation, and was speaking on the final day of NRF Retail's Big Show Asia Pacific in Singapore.

"They don't have the same problems because we have a lot of legacy in Europe with GDPR and the AI Act," she said. "They go faster. I think it's important that in Europe we understand that now we have to move quickly."

The observation came directly from seeing how retailers across Asia Pacific are already embedding AI into every aspect of their operations.

AI Has Become a Whole-Business Shift in Retail

According to Serres, one of the biggest shifts taking place across retail is that AI is no longer being treated as a technology project owned by individual departments. Instead, it is becoming an organisation-wide transformation.

Retailers are no longer asking whether AI belongs in logistics, marketing or e-commerce. They are asking how it can improve every part of the business. From merchandising and supply chain operations to customer service, pricing, workforce management and marketing, AI is becoming a core business capability rather than another digital initiative.

That evolution also explains why implementation has become more complex. Deploying AI across an entire retail organisation requires businesses to rethink operating models, integrate existing systems and develop new capabilities alongside the technology itself. For many retailers, understanding where AI creates measurable business value has become just as important as selecting the right technology partners.

GDPR and the EU AI Act Slow Europe Down

While retailers across the world are investing heavily in AI, Europe operates under a different set of conditions. Regulations such as GDPR and the EU AI Act introduce additional governance requirements that retailers must navigate before deploying new technologies.

Those regulatory safeguards are important, but they also create additional complexity that businesses in other markets may not experience to the same extent. Meanwhile, retailers across Asia Pacific are often able to test, implement and refine AI solutions more rapidly. That widening innovation gap is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Rather than questioning whether AI will reshape retail, European businesses are increasingly focused on how they can innovate at speed while remaining compliant with evolving regulation.

NRF Europe 2026 Targets Practical AI, Not Hype

As retailers search for practical answers, Serres believes industry events have a critical role to play.

NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show Europe takes place 15 to 17 September at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, under the theme "The Next Now", bringing together more than 12,000 retail professionals from over 60 countries, alongside 525 exhibitors and 200 speakers. The event aims to showcase technologies and strategies that retailers can implement immediately rather than focusing solely on future possibilities.

"The ideas are concrete," Serres explained. "It's not only talk."

The programme will feature keynote sessions, breakout discussions and exhibitor presentations alongside the NRF Europe Innovators Showcase, highlighting emerging technologies, startups and practical retail innovations from across the industry. The objective is simple: help retailers understand what is already working and how they can apply those lessons within their own organisations.

REWE Group Shows Peers How Transformation Works

For Serres, one of the greatest strengths of NRF Europe is the opportunity for retailers to learn directly from one another. Rather than relying solely on consultants or technology providers, executives gain access to real implementation stories from businesses facing similar challenges.

Rezvan reflected on one of the standout sessions from the previous edition, where executives from REWE Group openly shared their AI transformation blueprint. Instead of discussing artificial intelligence in broad strategic terms, they explained how one of Europe's largest retailers was approaching implementation across the organisation.

That level of transparency is rare. For many attendees, hearing what has worked, what has failed and what lessons have been learned provides far greater value than theoretical presentations or product demonstrations. As AI adoption accelerates, retailers increasingly want practical guidance from peers already navigating the same journey.

Innovation Needs Skills and Culture, Not Just Tech

Technology may dominate the conference agenda, but Serres believes networking remains equally important. Retail transformation depends on collaboration.

Retailers need technology partners. Brands need retailers. Startups need access to enterprise customers. Technology providers need real-world environments in which to validate their solutions.

NRF Europe brings those groups together in one place, creating opportunities for conversations that often develop into long-term commercial partnerships. As retail ecosystems become more interconnected, those relationships are becoming just as valuable as the innovations themselves.

Asia Pacific Sets the Pace Europe Now Follows

Serres also sees NRF Europe as part of a wider international retail community. The event follows the same framework as NRF Retail's Big Show in New York and NRF Retail's Big Show Asia Pacific, allowing retailers to compare how different regions are responding to similar challenges.

While market dynamics vary, many priorities remain remarkably consistent: artificial intelligence, customer experience, operational efficiency, digital transformation and supply chain resilience. The conversations taking place in Paris are increasingly connected to those happening in Singapore and New York.

Retail innovation is no longer confined by geography. Ideas, technologies and business models are moving across borders faster than ever before.

What Retail Leaders Should Do Before September

When asked what she hopes executives will be thinking about as they leave Paris, Serres's answer extends beyond technology. She wants retailers to leave inspired by the breadth of innovation they have discovered and the strength of the connections they have made.

The event is designed to introduce new ideas, but also to build the partnerships needed to turn those ideas into measurable business outcomes. For retailers navigating one of the industry's most significant technological transitions, that combination of knowledge and collaboration may prove more valuable than any single keynote presentation.

Serres: Speed Will Decide the Winners

Retail has entered an era where competitive advantage increasingly depends on execution rather than intention. Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging trend. It is rapidly becoming part of everyday retail operations.

European retailers have the talent, scale and technical capability to compete globally. The challenge now is ensuring that legacy systems and regulatory complexity do not slow innovation to the point where competitors establish an insurmountable lead.

Serres's message is ultimately not one of concern but of urgency. Europe does not need to replicate every approach emerging from Asia or North America. It must, however, accelerate its own pace of innovation. Retailers that learn quickly, collaborate openly and implement AI with confidence will be best positioned for the years ahead.

If Europe wants to remain globally competitive in the AI era, those conversations can no longer wait. For many retailers, Paris may be where the industry's next decisions begin.