Discover how new technology makes unattended retail possible without sacrificing compliance. See how identity connects payments, loyalty, promotions, age verification, and more into a seamless customer experience. Consumer expectations and regulations are changing fast. Learn what retailers need to know now. How real-time reporting uncovers missed age verifications before they become violations. Learn how AI-powered search is changing customer discovery—and what you can do to stay visible. See how mobile driver's licenses and digital IDs are changing in-store verification—and what retailers need to do next. Understand what really influences your online reputation and practical ways to improve it.
Founder/CEO
Digital Bazaar, Inc.
Manu Sporny is a co-founder and CEO of Digital Bazaar and a co-founder of the Web Payments, Verifiable Credentials, and Decentralized Identifier Working Groups at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). He has been on the founding team of five…
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2026
Artificial intelligence is no longer theoretical; it is already transforming how retailers attract customers, operate stores, make decisions, and grow margins. This session will showcase real-world examples of AI in action, from changing how consumers discover and choose where to shop to improving store operations, increasing productivity, and unlocking new revenue. Leave with a practical view of what is happening in the market today, how consumer behavior is changing, and where AI is creating the biggest opportunities for retailers next.
Wednesday, Oct 07, 2026
Tomorrow's winners won't be defined by the technologies they adopt, but by how well they're prepared for continual change. The retailers who thrive won't be chasing the next technology—they'll be building the capabilities that turns new technologies into a competitive advantage. This year's Roadmap explores those capabilities.
Thursday, Oct 08, 2026
Make sure your AI investment doesn’t create more complexity than value. This session equips retail leaders with a practical guide to evaluating and purchasing AI solutions and how to avoid costly traps. Explore common pitfalls such as hidden fees, usage-based pricing, subscription sprawl and integration challenges that can undermine ROI. The discussion will break down total cost of ownership across on-prem and SaaS models while highlighting the key questions to ask before making an investment.