At Retail Destination Live 2026, the session entitled The Opportunity Engine asked a defining question: “How will future technology transform retail destinations?” This report brings together details from that session along with the industry’s response, combining key insights from the live discussion with findings from the accompanying research.
Hosted by Retail Advantage, Director Gareth Jordan elected to address this time of transformative innovation with the event’s first large-scale roundtable discussions paired with a survey to give delegates the chance to both network, and reflect.
Gareth invited Michael Elliot, CEO & Founder of RiskTech to co-host the session, and help set the scene with current transformational solutions to prime questions confronting retail leaders about the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence and advanced technology. The pair asserted that the coming decade will not be defined by whether these technologies arrive, but by how we shape their use.
The initial focus was on current transformative technologies and Michael kicked this segment off with a focus on AI.
Operational reality: friction on the frontline
“When people hear “AI,” they tend to picture robots, automation, or something replacing jobs. That’s not what I’m here to talk about,” said Michael Elliot of RiskTech. He argued that the most immediate opportunity lies in addressing everyday operational friction. Many shopping centres still rely on fragmented frontline systems; paper checklists, messaging apps such as WhatsApp, verbal handovers, radio calls, and manual sign-offs. These processes frequently create information gaps that ripple across operations.
Typical scenarios are familiar: a cleaner begins a 6 a.m. shift without the latest task list; a security officer receives multiple verbal instructions but forgets one; maintenance teams repeatedly report the same issue; and centre managers only learn about problems once a tenant escalates a complaint. In most cases, the problem is not individual performance but the failure of the right information to reach the right person at the right time.
Findings from RiskTech’s frontline study revealed that workers can lose more than two hours each week searching for or clarifying information. In a retail destination employing around 50 frontline staff, that equates to roughly 100 lost hours per week, or over 5,000 hours annually.
Beyond productivity, unclear systems affect morale and service standards. He explained, “when systems are unclear, staff feel undervalued. When they only hear from management when something goes wrong, engagement drops. When engagement drops, standards slip. When standards slip, tenants notice. And tenants don’t blame the cleaner. They blame the centre.”
Michael said that digitisation supported by AI can restore operational control by centralising information, improving accountability, and shifting management from reactive responses to proactive, insight-driven oversight. He concluded, “AI isn’t the future, it’s the tool that lets you run your centre with fewer surprises.”
The next layer of data capability
Gareth Jordan emphasised that transformative capabilities are not a distant vision, they are already underway, providing practical, actionable insight.“From a trading and retail operations or asset management perspective, the newest tools utilise the latest tech to collect, combine and blend multiple data sets to unlock powerful insights: flagging potential problems, highlighting opportunities and making strategic analysis even easier and more informed,” he explained. “Add in secure AI capabilities to enhance and explore the data and you have something wonderfully powerful.” He cited their new Retail Advantage Insights platform as an example, where users can interrogate complex datasets through natural language queries, allowing teams to explore information quickly and generate insights without needing advanced technical expertise. The result extends the shift from retrospective reporting toward real-time, insight-led decision making.
What lies ahead?
The second half of the session saw an exploration of how we might use technology in the next decade and Gareth primed the roundtable discussions with a look into different possible futures. “Artificial intelligence and advanced technology will inevitably reshape retail destinations, but the direction of that change remains open.” Looking further ahead, AI could transform the experience layer of retail destinations. Intelligent environments may adapt to visitor context, whether someone is running errands, socialising, or seeking leisure, and adjust navigation, displays, and services accordingly. He showed visualisations, and explained that dynamic wayfinding, responsive storefronts, and seamless accessibility support could help create destinations that behave more like attentive hosts than static environments. “An orchestrated blend of many technological components with one evolving mood that moves in harmony to the needs of everyone.”
Here he switched to an alternative viewpoint. These advances raise important questions. Personalisation could challenge anonymity in public spaces, and over-optimised environments risk becoming homogeneous. Future systems could be far-reaching and, if used clumsily or cynically, might have unforeseen consequences. ”What might we lose when humans are removed from moments that matter?” Ultimately, he said, “technology should enhance not replace the human interactions that define great retail experiences, ensuring destinations remain places of connection, discovery, and individuality.”
The focus was then turned to the audience, as Gareth and Michael invited participants to explore the opportunities and potential risks of emerging technologies through roundtable discussions.
Insights in the room: Roundtable Discussions
Delegates were asked to reflect on two key questions:
Q1. Where could AI and future technologies make the biggest positive difference for retail destinations?
Q2. Where could AI and future technologies fail us, and what unintended consequences worry you most?
The conversations quickly highlighted both sides of the debate. There was a short feedback session directly following the discussion and an online form captured key sentiment on the issues at hand.
Glynn Edwards, Trading Director at Landsec, opened the group feedback by reflecting that his table initially focused on potential downsides.The group also discussed the possibility that AI systems could unintentionally steer people toward predetermined choices. Someone at his table had compared this to navigation tools, such as Google Maps, which often recommend the fastest route but not necessarily the most interesting one. “If retail experiences are guided too strongly by algorithmic optimisation, visitors may lose the freedom to explore in unexpected ways,” Glynn shared.
Some participants even speculated that over-reliance on AI could eventually prompt a consumer pushback, with people seeking more analogue, human-led experiences.
Mark King, Market Development Director from PFM commented: “AI might deliver the right customer, generate the right marketing, but until that customer gets into the store – that moment of truth is so important. I don’t necessarily think AI is going to help that human interaction. And that human interaction is so important, which goes back to making sure that those customers are meeting the staff that are in those locations to have the best experience possible.”
At another table, Anand Basu-Attwood, Commercial Operations Manager at Resorts World Birmingham, emphasised the immediate operational and strategic advantages AI can deliver:“For me, the biggest opportunity for AI in retail and leisure destinations is how it helps us understand what’s happening in the moment and act faster because of it. With more retailers on turnover leases, the data we share through Retail Advantage has become essential.” Anand also returned to the navigation analogy with a different spin. “A colleague gave me a good example most people use in maps and SatNav: AI combines historic and live information to predict what’s coming next, remove debate, and give everyone confidence in the route ahead. And that really reflects our Multi‑Realm values: performance improves with faster, clearer decisions, and growth through collaboration happens when we’re all working from the same intelligent insight. By leaning on the data and outputs of different AI models we can improve the journey for our guests, brand partners and teams.”
Overall, the consensus from participants was that if used effectively and appropriately, these capabilities could help destinations better anticipate demand, allocate resources more effectively, and ultimately create smoother experiences for guests, brand partners, and operational teams alike.
Insights from the Live Survey
The live survey gathered further insights during the session and throughout the day. The surveyrevealed optimism about the role of AI and emerging technologies in shaping the future of retail destinations. Respondents see the greatest potential not in pure automation, but in augmenting human creativity, improving decision-making, and unlocking new forms of placemaking and revenue generation. However, concerns centre on the risk of over-automation and loss of human or cultural authenticity, suggesting the sector views technology as most valuable when it truly supports people rather than replaces them. Three clear themes emerged:
Where AI can create the greatest value
Data-led placemaking emerged as the top opportunity
The largest share of respondents (24%) believe the biggest impact of AI will come from using data as a creative tool for placemaking. Rather than simply analysing performance metrics, respondents envision AI helping operators understand:
- How visitors move through destinations
- What drives dwell time and repeat visitation
- How emotional connection to place develops
This suggests a shift from static retail environments toward continuously evolving destinations informed by behavioural insight.
Key Takeaway:
Retail landlords and operators may increasingly use AI to shape experiences, programming, and spatial design in ways that deepen engagement and loyalty.
Future technologies as a productivity engine for leadership teams
20% of respondents highlighted giving teams time back as one of the most valuable applications. This includes:
- Automating insights and reporting
- Improving coordination between functions
- Reducing time spent on routine analysis and operational tasks
The expectation is not workforce replacement, but higher-value human work focused on strategy, creativity, and relationship building.
Key Takeaway:
AI will continue to become a decision-support layer embedded into asset management and operational workflows.
New digital revenue streams are gaining traction
Another 20% of respondents see significant opportunity in new revenue models, including:
- Digital media networks
- Data-enabled services
- Experience-led technology offerings
Retail destinations may increasingly evolve into hybrid physical-digital platforms, monetising both space and data.
Key Takeaway:
Technology could transform malls and mixed-use centres into media and experience ecosystems, not just leasing platforms.
Secondary, but meaningful value areas
Several additional opportunities received moderate support:
- Improving Net Operating Income (12%) through smarter leasing and asset performance
- Sustainability optimisation (12%), including energy management and resource efficiency
- Adaptive environments (9%), where tenant mix and layouts respond dynamically to behaviour
Concerns about AI adoption
Over-automation is the leading concern
The biggest concern (24%) is that excessive automation could create less flexible and less responsive operations. This reflects a fear that algorithmic decision-making may remove the on-the-ground intuition and responsiveness that are critical to retail environments.
Risk of losing the human experience
Two concerns tied for second place (20% each):
- Reduced human interaction harming customer experience
- Technology overpowering creativity, culture, or the “soul” of a place
Together, these responses highlight a shared belief that retail destinations are fundamentally human environments. Respondents appear comfortable with technology behind the scenes, but wary of it becoming overly visible or replacing personal interaction.
Data and regulatory risks remain relevant
Some respondents (15%) flagged regulatory and compliance risks, particularly around:
- Data use
- AI-driven decision-making
- Smart building technologies
These concerns reflect broader industry trends as governments increase scrutiny of AI governance.
Behavioural misinterpretation is a smaller but notable risk
12% expressed concern that AI may misread customer behaviour or local market context. This highlights the importance of combining AI insights with human expertise and local knowledge.
How the industry wants AI and emerging technologies to shape the future
Taken together, both the live session and the research point to a shared conclusion: the future of retail destinations will not be defined by technology alone, but by how thoughtfully it is integrated into human-centred environments.
As Gareth concluded, the changes driven by AI and emerging technologies are inevitable, but so is the opportunity. “It is vital that we craft a secure and responsible future from these advancements,” he noted. “The only way to do this is to have these conversations and be vocal about the direction we need innovations to take.”
Whether you want to understand how to get more from the data you collect or learn more about how the industry is moving towards AI-enabled tools, let’s discuss.
