Retailers push AI from pilots to production as budgets rise for 2026, Nvidia survey finds
Most retail and consumer packaged goods firms now see artificial intelligence as a revenue and cost driver rather than an experiment, with agentic systems and open-source tools gaining ground as spending plans increase.
NVIDIA’s third annual State of AI in Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods survey suggests the sector has moved decisively beyond experimentation, with companies shifting artificial intelligence projects into production and planning further investment next year.
According to the survey, which drew hundreds of responses from retailers and consumer packaged goods groups, 91% of respondents are either actively using AI or assessing deployments, while 90% expect to increase AI budgets in 2026. The findings point to a perception of clear returns, with 89% saying AI is helping to lift annual revenue and 95% reporting cost reductions linked to AI adoption.
Agentic AI is emerging as a particular focus. Nearly half of respondents, 47%, said they are using or evaluating agentic systems, with 20% reporting agents already active and a further 21% expecting deployments within the next year. Chris Walton, co-chief executive of Omni Talk, said the most immediate disruption is likely to come in operational areas. “The truly disruptive impact of agentic AI will hit retail supply chains and operations first, such as autonomous agents handling real-time inventory rebalancing, dynamic pricing and vendor negotiations at scale, because that’s where the ROI is measurable,” he said.
Open-source technology is also playing a growing role. The survey found 79% of respondents view open-source models and software as moderately to extremely important. Jason Goldberg, chief commerce strategy officer at Publicis Groupe, said open source allows retailers to work more effectively with their own data and avoid vendor lock-in.
Supply chain pressure remains a key driver, with 64% reporting rising challenges year on year. The top AI priorities cited were improving supply chain efficiency and throughput, meeting customer expectations, and increasing traceability and transparency. Seventeen % said they are already using or evaluating physical AI.
NVIDIA said the full State of AI in Retail and CPG: 2026 Trends report is available for download, with detailed analysis of adoption patterns and investment plans across the sector.
The Recap
- NVIDIA survey finds retailers moving AI projects into production.
- Ninety percent plan to raise AI budgets in 2026.
- Report includes agentic AI adoption and open-source emphasis.
