How Retailers Can Use AI To Predict Consumer Trends in 2026

Struggling to keep up with fast-moving consumer trends? Unsure how to use AI and real-time data to make better decisions in retail or marketing? In this episode of Marketing in the Madness, Katie Street sits down with Ian Davis, CPO at Quid, to reveal how leading brands are using AI-powered consumer and market intelligence to understand what customers want right now and what they’ll want next. You’ll learn: - How retailers can use AI to predict trends for 2026 and adjust merchandising in days - How to turn social data into real customer insight, not just mentions or sentiment - Why most brands still get AI wrong, and the simple way to avoid bad or outdated data - The biggest consumer behaviour shifts emerging for 2026, from “blind gifting” to “Ralph Lauren Christmas” - And much more! Enjoying the episode? Click subscribe so you never miss the conversations shaping the future of marketing, tech and brand growth. Connect with us: Ian Davis https://www.linkedin.com/in/iandavisuk/ Katie Street  https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/ https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/ Marketing in the Madness  https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/ https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/ Street Agency https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/ https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/