NVIDIA has introduced the Multi-Agent Intelligent Warehouse (MAIW) and Retail Catalog Enrichment AI Blueprints, targeting retailers looking to optimize supply chain efficiency and enhance customer experience.

The MAIW blueprint transforms warehouse management by creating a cohesive AI system that bridges IT and operational technology. It leverages specialized agents for equipment operation, safety compliance, and workflow coordination, providing warehouse managers with real-time insights into inventory and staffing needs. This allows for proactive decision-making; for example, supervisors can use natural language queries to identify bottlenecks in packing and receive actionable recommendations on reallocating resources. This capability fosters a shift from reactive problem-solving to data-driven operational planning, significantly increasing efficiency and reducing costs.

On the product management side, the Retail Catalog Enrichment blueprint addresses the common issue of sparse product data. Retailers often struggle with inconsistent product descriptions and attributes, which can hinder customer engagement. By employing generative AI, this blueprint generates rich, localized, and brand-consistent product content at scale. For instance, a single image of a ceramic mug can be transformed into comprehensive product metadata, including targeted SEO attributes and culturally relevant marketing materials, thus enhancing discoverability and customer interest.

Real-world applications of these blueprints are already being seen. For example, Grid Dynamics has utilized the Retail Catalog Enrichment blueprint to streamline catalog management for large retailers, ensuring accurate and rich product data, which directly impacts customer search quality and satisfaction.

Overall, NVIDIA's innovative blueprints streamline both warehouse operations and product onboarding processes, enabling retailers to meet rising customer expectations while optimizing their supply chain efficiency.

The retail industry is facing unprecedented challenges, with consumer expectations rising and margins tightening. In this environment, the integration of AI technology has become crucial. Analysts predict that agentic commerce, where AI agents facilitate and complete purchases for shoppers, could account for 10 to 20% of U.S. e-commerce sales by 2030, translating to up to $385 billion. This shift is already evident, with a 670% increase in AI-driven traffic on Cyber Monday.

At Microsoft, we're committed to helping retailers embrace AI to enhance human interactions. Our approach emphasizes automation combined with the emotional connection that consumers seek. By fostering collaboration between humans and AI, retailers can amplify their effectiveness. This “human-plus-agentic” model is key; as retail analysts note, genuine transformation requires rethinking workplace dynamics.

Our Microsoft Foundry platform empowers retailers to develop sophisticated AI applications tailored to their needs. For instance, the Foundry IQ tool secures AI applications on enterprise data, while Foundry Tools facilitate seamless integrations across major business systems like SAP and Salesforce. This enables companies like The ODP Corporation to drive significant business results.

We are also introducing three specialized agents for retail: the personalized shopping agent enhances product discovery through conversational interactions; the catalog enrichment agent standardizes product information for improved data quality; and the store operations agent streamlines operations by offering actionable recommendations based on external factors. These tools are designed to support retailers in delivering authentic experiences while reducing operational burdens.

Collectively, these solutions represent a strategic ecosystem that enhances brand storytelling from product discovery to delivery, enabling retailers to thrive in an intelligent, agile market. All three agents are now available through Microsoft Copilot Studio and Microsoft Marketplace, ushering in a new era of empowered, efficient retail.

The retail sector is experiencing a significant transformation driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), enabling hyper-personalized customer experiences and enhanced operational efficiency. However, to fully leverage AI's potential, retailers must ensure their edge infrastructure is robust and modern.

AI activities often occur at the store's edge, where real-time responses to customer inquiries can trigger complex AI processes. These include retrieving product details, generating tailored replies, analyzing customer behaviors via video feeds, and conducting live inventory assessments. Traditional systems are ill-equipped to handle the increased network traffic generated by these simultaneous AI tasks. For retailers, upgrading to an AI-ready infrastructure is critical to avoid operational bottlenecks and maximize AI investments.

Security has become paramount as AI adds more connected devices within stores, creating potential vulnerabilities. Outdated security measures are inadequate against sophisticated cyber threats. A comprehensive security strategy must be integrated during the setup phase rather than added later, ensuring customer data protection and operational continuity.

To address these challenges, Cisco Unified Edge provides an integrated, AI-ready platform tailored for retail. It combines compute, networking, storage, security, and cloud management into a modular system. This approach enhances performance, scalability, and simplifies store management. Cisco Unified Edge’s future-ready design supports advanced applications like real-time video analytics and personalized customer interactions, ensuring clients stay ahead without frequent costly upgrades.

Furthermore, Cisco’s upcoming showcase at NRF 2026 will unveil AI-driven innovations, such as Store Hologram assistants, enhancing in-store engagement through real-time, context-aware support. Cisco is poised to reshape the retail landscape, combining cutting-edge technology with a focus on innovative customer experiences.

PepsiCo has announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Siemens and NVIDIA to enhance its manufacturing and supply chain operations through AI and digital twin technology. This partnership, unveiled at CES 2026, aims to revolutionize how plant and warehousing facilities are designed and tested, with initial pilot programs already active in the U.S.

As consumer demand increases, PepsiCo is leveraging AI to improve process simulations and facility designs, enabling faster and more cost-effective adaptations of its operations. The company's CEO, Ramon Laguarta, emphasized that this integration of AI will allow PepsiCo to operate with greater agility while addressing consumer needs.

Through the use of Siemens Digital Twin Composer, powered by NVIDIA’s Omniverse platform, PepsiCo is transforming its U.S. facilities into high-fidelity 3D digital twins. These simulations create a comprehensive view of plant operations, streamlining supply chain efficiency. In practical terms, this has already resulted in a 20% increase in throughput and significant reductions in capital expenditure, with the potential to identify up to 90% of operational issues before physical changes are made.

The collaboration aims to set a new industry standard by creating an intelligent ecosystem where every facility anticipates and adapts to demand changes. As noted by Athina Kanioura of PepsiCo, this digital-first approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also aligns with the company's sustainability goals, encapsulating a vision where innovation meets environmental responsibility.

Overall, this initiative showcases the tangible benefits of integrating advanced digital technologies and AI in manufacturing and logistics, positioning PepsiCo at the forefront of the industry.