Inside Google Cloud’s Vision for the AI Era

This episode is brought to you by National Retail Federation. AI took center stage at NRF 2026, and few moments underscored its importance more than Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s keynote, where he outlined how shopping is evolving in an increasingly agentic, AI-driven world. This episode of Retail Remix, recorded live from the show floor, features host Nicole Silberstein in conversation with Anil Jain, who leads Global Strategic Industries at Google Cloud. Anil shares how Google Cloud is working with retailers to reimagine everything from product discovery to post-purchase service and why agentic AI represents a fundamental shift in how consumers will interact with brands. Key Takeaways Why AI is becoming the great equalizer, helping smaller companies compete with limited resources; How AI experiences in general-use platforms like Google Search are upping the ante for everyone, and how to keep up; What multimodal search unlocks when consumers can shop using not just text, but also voice, images and video; Why hyper-personalization is finally within reach after decades of promise; The change management that will be required as AI shifts the way we all work; How Google and its Cloud division are building for this future. Related Links Related reading: Google Launches Direct Checkout in Search, Gemini Learn how Google Cloud is helping retailers adopt AI at scale Explore more NRF26 coverage and retail insights from Retail TouchPoints Subscribe so you don’t miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26 ----- Your customers won't wait, and neither should you. Head to nrfbigshow.com to lock in your spot at NRF's Big Show, Jan. 10-12 at the Javits Center, and move your business fast forward.