Recorded live at RetailClub AI Festival. Neil Saunders, Managing Director of GlobalData Retail, walks through one of GlobalData's best-case scenarios for AI job cuts: 15 million US jobs lost. Take those paychecks out of the economy and consumer spending falls 7 to 8%, over a trillion dollars, a deeper drop than 2008. The middle case is 30%.
Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden also ask Neil where AI in retail is working right now: route planning, Amazon's inventory allocation, Best Buy choosing which store fills an online order, planogram checks from a photo, and Lowe's associates finding the right part. Casey explains why no associate wants AI in their ear, and Neil explains why AI job cuts that make sense for one retailer can become a trap for the whole sector. Neil closes with the human side of AI in retail: shoppers still want people in the store.
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🤖 *Join Us at Retail Agent Con:*
*Retail Agent Con - November 17, 2026*
Explore how AI agents fit into retail work at Retail Agent Con, a live virtual event on November 17, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern, produced by IHL Group with ClearSight AI.
Join retail leaders like Glenn Allison of Tractor Supply, Scott Saeger of David’s Bridal and Justin Emig of Artisan Lane Furniture, Dr. Janet Sherlock on the organizational changes required for agents and humans to work together, analysts like Greg Buzek and Jerry Sheldon of IHL Group and Retail Razor’s Ricardo Belmar, for practical conversations about agents in merchandising, order management, inventory control, store systems, and more.
Retailers attend free, sponsorships and individual tickets are available as well.
Learn more at www.retailagentcon.com.
*The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers S2:E11*
*Released on October 20, 2026*
*Guest info*
*Neil Saunders.* https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilretail/
_Managing Director._ *GlobalData Retail*. https://www.globaldata.com/
Neil is Managing Director of GlobalData’s retail division.
In this role he oversees the development of the company’s proposition and its research output. He also works with major clients to help them understand the retail, shopper and market landscape – advising them on how best to develop, evolve and implement business strategies.
Prior to GlobalData, Neil founded the retail research firm Conlumino which was subsequently acquired by GlobalData. And prior to that Neil worked for the John Lewis Partnership where he was involved, among other things, in the planning and relocation of new stores, the development of the ecommerce business, and the creation of technical and information systems.
*Chapters*
00:00 15 Million Jobs Lost to AI? The Retail Reality Check
00:57 Live From RetailClub: Meet Retail's Favorite Store Photographer
04:16 Welcome, Neil Saunders!
04:51 Where AI Is Really Paying Off for Retailers Today
07:05 The Win-Win AI Sweet Spot: Amazon and Best Buy
07:53 The Uber Effect: Why Customers Expect Everything Now
11:00 AI on the Sales Floor: Planograms, Lowe's and No Earpieces
16:15 The 15 Million Job Warning: Worse Than 2008
17:37 The Layoff Trap: Cut Too Deep and You Cut Out Your Customers
19:46 Why Shoppers Still Crave Humans, Not Bots
22:30 Stay Sharp, Be Bold: Keep Transforming Retail
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