Retail Guru Steve Dennis Predicts Agentic AI Will Dominate 2026

Dennis foresees a year of 'breathtaking' AI introductions, collaborations, and consumer adoption, with venture capital flooding into startups.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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Retail strategist Steve Dennis has been making annual retail predictions since 2018, and this year he sees 2026 shaping up to be 'all things Agentic' when it comes to artificial intelligence. Dennis predicts the pace of AI introductions, collaborations, and consumer adoption will be 'breathtaking,' with venture capital flooding into what seems like hundreds of startups. He also weighs in on the merged Neiman Marcus and Saks (now Saks Global), calling their future 'fragile,' and handicaps the turnarounds of several major retailers.

Why it matters

Dennis is a respected voice in the retail industry, and his annual predictions carry significant weight. His insights on the growing impact of agentic AI and the shifting landscape of major retail brands provide valuable perspective on the future of the industry.

The details

According to Dennis, unlike the 'failed experiments' of the metaverse, he sees something fundamentally different with agentic AI this time around. He predicts that if 2023 was all about the metaverse, 2024 was retail media networks, and 2025 was generative AI, then 2026 is shaping up to be 'all things Agentic.' Dennis notes that the pace of AI introductions, collaborations, and consumer adoption is 'breathtaking,' with venture capital flooding into what seems like hundreds of startups.

  • Dennis has been making annual retail predictions since 2018.

The players

Steve Dennis

President and Founder of SageBerry Consulting, Co-Host of the 'Remarkable Retail' Podcast, and a respected voice in the retail industry.

Neiman Marcus

A luxury department store chain that has merged with Saks to form Saks Global.

Saks

A luxury department store chain that has merged with Neiman Marcus to form Saks Global.

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What they’re saying

“Uncertainty Reigns Supreme' tops his list. Between shifting trade policy and an economy facing multiple headwinds, Dennis writes that predicting the future has never been harder.”

— Steve Dennis, President and Founder, SageBerry Consulting (Dallas Innovates)

“If 2023 was all metaverse, 2024 retail media networks, and 2025 generative AI, he says 2026 is shaping up to be 'all things Agentic.' The pace of AI introductions, collaborations, and consumer adoption is 'breathtaking,' he notes, with venture capital flooding into what seems like hundreds of startups.”

— Steve Dennis, President and Founder, SageBerry Consulting (Dallas Innovates)

What’s next

Dennis' full 2026 predictions are available on his Substack, and he also unpacks them on the latest episode of his 'Remarkable Retail' podcast.

The takeaway

Steve Dennis' annual retail predictions carry significant weight in the industry, and his insights on the growing impact of agentic AI and the shifting landscape of major retail brands provide valuable perspective on the future of the retail sector.