智能体时代的零售业AI：从愿景到实践

September 2025 Table of contents Foreword04 Introduction 05 Industry landscape 05 Key themes driving AI adoption in the retail space05 Emerging tech supply catalysts enabling AI adoption 06 07 AI-led innovations shaping the retail industry11 Key principles of successful AI implementation12 Approach and execution framework13 Way forward and strategic implications15 Connect with us16 Foreword As India’s retail sector approaches US$2 trillion by 2030, therole of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), is nolonger peripheral. Technology has a foundational role now. ForChief Experience Officers and technology leaders, this momentpresents a strategic inflexion point: the shift from digitalenablement to agentic transformation. omnichannel transformation; this report serves as a strategicguide for navigating the evolving retail landscape AI is a catalyst for reimagining retail and the time to lead there-imagination is now! This report offers a forward-looking lens into how AI isredefining the rules of engagement, operations and innovationacross the retail value chain. From intelligent agents thatautonomously manage customer journeys to AI-poweredplatforms that accelerate product design and supply chainresponsiveness, the use cases outlined here are aspirationalyet actionable. Anand RamanathanPartner and Consumer Industry LeaderDeloitte India For business leaders, the imperative is clear: AI must beembedded into the core of enterprise strategy. This meansinvesting in scalable data infrastructure, nurturing cross-functional collaboration and adopting a test-and-learn mindsetto drive continuous innovation. For technology leaders, thechallenge lies in architecting resilient, cloud-native ecosystemsthat support real-time intelligence, while ensuring responsibleAI practices that uphold transparency, fairness and privacy. Praveen GovinduPartnerDeloitte India This report offers practical insights to help leadership teamsmove beyond pilots and experiments, towards scalableexecution and real impact. Whether you are a Chief ExecutiveOfficer shaping long-term strategy, a Chief Technology Officerbuilding platform capabilities or a Chief Digital Officer leading Moumita SarkerPartnerDeloitte India Introduction India’s retail sector is one of the most dynamic in the world. Itis currently valued at ≈US$1 trillion and contributes to over 10percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), whileemploying nearly 8 percent of the workforce.1This sector isprojected to almost double to US$1.9 trillion by 2030,2 drivenby rising incomes, urbanisation and evolving consumerpreferences. The rapid transformation is powered by robustdomestic consumption alongside a surge in digital adoption,premiumisation and the rapid rise of e-commerce across bothurban and emerging markets. Between 2020 and 2024, India’s retail and e-commercesectors have significantly increased investments in artificialintelligence (AI) to enhance customer experiences, optimiseoperations and drive sales growth. The retail sector is enteringa transformative era defined by technology-driven, sustainableand hyper-personalised consumer experiences. traction, especially in smaller cities. Consumers now expectconvenience, speed and personalisation across platforms.4 AIis playing a key role by helping brands predict preferences,personalise offers and automate customer service to makeshopping smarter and faster Industry landscape AI-driven transformation, evolving consumer habits andstructural shifts are unlocking new growth avenues for India’sretail sector. Demographics, technology and policy changes arereshaping how and where consumers shop, driving the nextphase of retail evolution. Urbanisation and changing family dynamics India’s urban population is expected to reach 40 percent by2030,5 with over half of the households being nuclear. Thisshift is expanding the base of first-time users of branded andconvenience-led products. Retailers must adapt to evolvingurban lifestyles and consumption patterns.6 Key themes driving AI adoption in theretail space Rise of the channel-agnostic shopper Consumer behaviour is shifting away from single-channelinteractions. Today’s consumer is channel-agnostic, expectingseamless experiences and handoffs across offline and onlinetouchpoints. In response, retailers are increasingly turning toAI-powered solutions to intelligently integrate journeys, hyper-personalise engagement and optimise operations across thefull spectrum of channels. Growth of omnichannel retailing Retailers are moving towards integrated omnichannel modelsto meet evolving consumer expectations. Shoppers demandseamless transitions across online, app and in-store journeys.This shift enhances customer satisfaction, loyalty andrepeat purchases.7 AI is enabling retailers to track customerbehaviour across channels, personalise interactions in realtime and optimise inventory and delivery systems. Digitalisation and e-commerce boom