New tools, new headlines, new promises of game-changing AI and tech land daily. For retailers already juggling stock, staff, customers and cash flow, it can all feel… a bit much.

Justin Kabbani gets that. And his advice to business owners is refreshingly basic.

“Retailers don’t need to chase every headline or download every new AI tool to stay competitive,” he says. “The smartest approach is to pick one main AI assistant, learn it properly and build confidence from there.”

Don’t boil the ocean (or download every app)

One of the biggest mistakes retailers make with AI is assuming it’s a huge, technical project.

“It’s not,” says Kabbani. “Overwhelm often comes from thinking AI is this massive thing you have to ‘implement’. But the real advantage comes through small, consistent wins.”

His suggestion is to treat AI like a new skill in your business, not another thing on the to-do list. That could be as simple as locking in 20–30 minutes once a week to test AI on tasks you already do, like writing product descriptions, social captions, customer email replies or supplier communications. Once it becomes part of your routine, confidence builds naturally and you start to see where AI genuinely helps and what you can safely ignore.

Use AI like a team member, not a magic vending machine

If you’ve ever typed ‘write me a caption’ into an AI tool and thought meh, at the result, you shouldn’t be surprised.

“The biggest unlock is learning to use AI like a smart team member, not like a magic vending machine,” Kabbani says. “You’ll get much better outputs when you slow down slightly and give clearer inputs.”

Context is everything. If you open a blank chat and ask for a caption, you’ll get something generic. But when you explain who your customer is, what you sell, your tone of voice and what you’re trying to achieve, the quality improves instantly.

Retailers also get better results when they stop starting from scratch every time. Creating a handful of repeatable prompts: for product launches, sales, new arrivals, gift guides or customer FAQs, saves time and keeps brand messaging consistent.

And while speed is a big drawcard for using AI, Justin says retailers should think bigger. “Yes, AI saves time. But its real value is helping you go sharper. AI can deliver clearer messaging, stronger hooks, better storytelling and more personalised customer experiences. Speed will become normal. Creativity and differentiation won’t.”

AI = Time, energy, momentum

Ask retailers why they’re curious about AI and most will give the same answer: they’re tired. Picking up the slack is where AI really earns its keep.

“AI helps retailers reclaim time and energy, two things most businesses are short on,” Kabbani says. “It can take the first pass on repetitive or mentally draining tasks so you can focus on the work that actually grows the business.”

In practice, that might mean AI helping draft social posts, emails and product copy or tightening up messaging so it’s more consistent, supporting customer communication through FAQs and replies… Even assisting with promotions, gift guides and campaign planning. For small teams, it can also mean executing at a level that previously required more staff or budget.

But the biggest shift isn’t just productivity.

“It’s momentum,” Kabbani says. “Retailers often tell me they feel less stuck, more confident and more excited about what they can actually create and implement.”

The two AI trends retailers can’t afford to ignore

While retailers don’t need to chase every shiny new tool, there are two big shifts Kabbani says are worth paying attention to.

The first is that AI is no longer a separate platform. It’s being built directly into everyday tools like email, search, photo editing, spreadsheets, point-of-sale systems and social platforms. That means retailers will increasingly use AI by default, often without even realising it. The second shift is how customers find products. Instead of searching and scrolling through pages of results, more people are asking AI tools for direct recommendations.

“That changes the game,” Kabbani says. “AI answers often give a shortlist, not an endless list.”

This is where visibility becomes critical. Retailers need to make sure their brand, products and content are easy for AI tools to understand, trust and recommend. This shift is often referred to as Answer Engine Optimisation. Welcome to the shortlist economy.

Five years from now? Focus on capability, not crystal balls

Even for people working with AI every day, predicting five years ahead is a mug’s game.

“The technology is moving fast,” Kabbani says. “But what I know with confidence is most businesses still aren’t using today’s AI anywhere near its potential.”

Rather than guessing what the tools will become, he says retailers should focus on building capability now. That means getting confident with one core tool, creating repeatable workflows, training the team through small, consistent wins and fostering a culture where experimentation is encouraged.

“The biggest business wins come from compounding time savings,” he says. “If a task that used to take two hours now takes 20 minutes and you repeat that every week, across multiple tasks and people, it’s transformational.”

The real opportunity, though, is what retailers do with the time they win back. Whether that’s improving customer experience, strengthening marketing, refining merchandising, doing more strategic planning or even developing new revenue streams they never had the capacity to pursue.

AI won’t replace what makes retailers special.

“Human taste, community, trust, service and storytelling still matter,” Kabbani says. “But AI elevates the retailers who use it well, because it frees them to spend more time doing the work only humans can do.”

If you want to hear more insights on how to use AI for your retail business, Kabbani will be a keynote speaker at AGHA Gifted: Melbourne, at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, on January 31 and February 2 2026. Find out more here.

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