Episode Details

In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from the Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit 2026 in Vienna, Chris Walton is joined by Justin Honaman, Global Head of Worldwide Retail, Restaurants, and Consumer Goods Business Development at AWS, to discuss the realities of scaling AI and why data remains the biggest challenge standing in the way.

Justin shares how the conversation around AI has rapidly evolved from generative AI to agentic commerce, how retailers and consumer goods companies are leveraging AWS and Amazon innovations, and why many organizations are still struggling with foundational data issues despite the excitement surrounding AI. He also explores the human side of AI adoption, the importance of curiosity and experimentation, and the emerging use cases that could dramatically improve customer experiences in the years ahead.

Key Topics Covered:

• How AI conversations have shifted from generative AI to agentic commerce

• Why agentic AI is accelerating across retail and consumer goods

• The latest AWS and Amazon AI innovations, including AgentCore and Shopping Assistant

• The continued evolution of retail media and Amazon Retail Ad Service

• How composable commerce and flexible ERP strategies are reshaping organizations

• Why Consumer Goods Forum remains a critical gathering for industry leaders

• The foundational role of data in successful AI deployments

• Why poor data quality continues to limit AI scalability

• Challenges created by fragmented systems and legacy infrastructure

• The importance of cloud migration for unlocking AI capabilities

• Governance, security, and organizational alignment in AI adoption

• The human side of AI transformation and workforce readiness

• Why curiosity and hands-on experimentation are becoming essential career skills

• Emerging opportunities in AI-powered personalization

• How visual search, virtual try-on, and frictionless shopping experiences are evolving

Special thanks to the CGF Leadership Studio sponsored by Vusion for supporting Omni Talk Retail's coverage in Vienna.