Tech is making stores smarter. But are customers ready?

(September 2025)From cashier-less stores to AI-driven pricing and inventory systems, retail is becoming faster, more efficient, and more autonomous.

That’s basically great news, according to retail expert Prof. Stephan Rüschen in an interview with Transform Talks.

But Pro. Rüschen tells Huawei’s Executive Editor-in-Chief, Gavin Allen, that these advances come with challenges: ensuring data accuracy, maintaining customer trust, and building seamless connectivity that never cuts out.

This Transform Talks explores untapped opportunities in AI-powered marketing, dynamic product assortments, and sustainable logistics—areas where smarter systems can cut costs, reduce waste, and boost efficiency.

It also looks at a few smart-retail case studies which show that sometimes, even the most cutting-edge solutions must adapt to the preferences of (human) consumers.