Solink Report Shows AI Adoption Surging Across Retail Operations

Solink has released a new report, The State of AI in Retail, highlighting rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across the retail sector, announced in a press release. The research, based on a survey of 150 retail decision-makers in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., indicates that more than 80% of retailers now budget for AI and 86% plan to increase spending in the next 12 months.

The report shows that 65% of organizations regularly use generative AI, nearly doubling year-over-year. AI investments are concentrated in addressing labor shortages, theft, and operational complexity. Mid-size retailers, with 200–499 locations, report the fastest expansion, while larger retailers lead in total budget commitment but face challenges in governance and internal expertise.

AI use is spreading across Asset Protection, Operations, IT, and Physical Security teams. Retailers apply AI to detect fraud, optimize labor deployment, automate system monitoring, and enhance situational awareness. The report also notes a growing issue of AI fragmentation, as different teams adopt separate tools without a unified platform.

A key finding is the shift from surveillance to vision intelligence, where AI transforms video footage into real-time operational data. Retailers are now leveraging video intelligence to optimize staffing, validate transactions, monitor compliance, and improve customer and employee experiences. Solink plans to showcase these findings and new AI-powered video intelligence capabilities at NRF 2026 in New York.