Google: “AI threatens to make brands invisible, but physical stores are a major advantage”

In recent years, retailers have streamlined their online stores, inventory, and checkout processes. But now that consumers are increasingly using AI to find, compare, and purchase products, there’s already another hurdle—one for which few are well-prepared. Although there is a surprising frontrunner…

Infrastructure is no longer enough

“Omnichannel has shifted from an infrastructure project to a commercial strategy. Organizations that have made that shift are clearly pulling ahead. Those who lag behind are losing ground, often without realizing it right away. By the time the impact shows up in the quarterly report, the gap is already hard to close,” says Kasper Holst in the Omnichannel Index 2026 by IMPACT Commerce and Google.