Retailers today are standing at a crossroads. On one side, there's rapid innovation – AI, automation, and machine learning are unlocking new possibilities every day. On the other side, there's a real human concern: what happens to the people behind the counter, in the back office, and throughout the organization?
We recently sat down with Brett Wickard, FieldStack’s founder and CEO, to talk about why automation in retail tech isn’t about replacing people – it’s about empowering them. And how the most innovative retailers are leaning into that shift.
“When we introduce automation or AI, we’re not removing people from the equation – we’re removing friction,” said Brett. “That means giving teams more time, better data, and smarter tools to make decisions. It’s not about replacing human skills but enhancing them.”
Brett shared an example from retail’s not-so-distant past. “If a point-of-sale system failed, maybe 99% of retail staff could still calculate tax and total by hand. Those foundational skills have eroded over time – not because people are less capable, but because technology stepped in. Now, with AI on the rise, we risk losing the ability to research customer needs or troubleshoot concerns if we lean too hard on tech and let those human instincts atrophy.”
The takeaway? Technology should be a support system – not a crutch.
Brett emphasized that retailers who succeed with AI won’t just focus on what the tools can do – they’ll also anticipate where they might fall short.
“AI is going to be one of the most positively disruptive forces in retail over the next few decades,” he said. “But if you're not proactive about the potential downsides – like data over-reliance or customer alienation – you’ll end up reacting too late.”
Forward-thinking retailers are already putting guardrails in place and investing in employee training, data integrity, and thoughtful use cases. That doesn’t just build resilience – it builds trust with both teams and customers.
According to Brett, the best place to look is where data is already abundant – like marketing and advertising.
“AI thrives in high-data environments,” he explained. “Look at how much the marketing world already uses machine learning to understand customer journeys, optimize engagement, and retarget with precision. Retailers can use those same tools to drive loyalty, not just sales.”
Think personalized promotions that feel like a service, not a sell.
Think customer insights that empower store associates to offer better, faster solutions.
Think smarter inventory decisions that prevent empty shelves and overstocks before they happen.
One example Brett gave was coupon optimization: “AI can help you understand which promotions deepen brand loyalty and which ones just attract bargain hunters. That means more effective marketing, longer-term customer relationships, and a stronger bottom line.”
Another high-impact area? Supply chain. “Retailers are working with data from ten different systems – sales, logistics, warehousing, eCommerce, the list goes on. FieldStack helps unify that data, and AI can then analyze it to spot inefficiencies and forecast needs in ways no human team could replicate at scale.”
And yes, AI will play a role in loss prevention – fraud detection, anomaly spotting, and so on. But Brett cautions not to get fixated there. “The biggest wins aren’t just in stopping bad outcomes. They’re in creating better ones.”
For Brett, the ultimate value of AI and automation isn’t about what's happening today – it’s about preparing for tomorrow.
“FieldStack is focused on what’s next. We want to help retailers not only understand what happened but also anticipate what’s coming. What makes tomorrow better? That’s where automation shines.”
Want to learn how FieldStack can help your retail team work smarter – not harder?
Explore our platform or book a demo today.