Transforming Retail: fusefabric’s Exclusive AI Breakfast Explores Innovation at Speed and Scale
Last week, fusefabric hosted another edition of its exclusive breakfast series, this time diving into the transformative power of AI in the retail sector. Held at a vibrant London venue, the morning gathered senior leaders and digital innovators for a lively discussion on how artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the future of commerce.
Led by fusefabric Co-Founder Simon Hamblin, the event brought together a community of forward-thinking brands to share insights, challenges, and real-world applications of AI in retail, from customer experience to backend automation and beyond.
Fireside Chat: A Glimpse into AI in Action
The highlight of the morning was an engaging fireside chat featuring Usama Dar, former CTO and product leader at Westwing. Moderated by Simon, the discussion unpacked how AI is being strategically applied inside major retail organisations and where there’s still untapped potential.
Usama took the audience through Westwing’s transformation journey, where legacy systems were replaced by a lean, API-first tech stack powered by Shopify. In doing so, the business slashed operational complexity and headcount while driving innovation. From automated product translation in 12+ languages to AI-generated imagery and merchandising copy, Westwing’s use of AI delivered cost-efficiency and speed without compromising brand quality. “We set a goal to be 50% leaner; and AI was a core enabler,” Usama shared.
Together, they reflected on experimentation within luxury retail, where AI is currently being tested in areas like augmented reality-powered virtual try-ons and AI-enhanced internal knowledge systems. A standout example included deploying AI agents on Confluence pages to help engineers and product teams reference architecture more effectively.
From Experiments to Enterprise: Emerging Themes
The discussion circled around several critical themes shaping AI adoption in enterprise retail:
Speed vs. Legacy: While agile DTC brands adopt AI rapidly, larger retailers must overcome legacy systems and cautious governance, making API-first strategies essential to progress.
AI at Scale: Westwing showed how embedding AI into core operations – from content creation to image handling – can dramatically reduce headcount while boosting output.
Balancing Innovation and Brand Integrity: Premium brands face the challenge of maintaining human-led experiences while strategically automating to preserve brand identity.
Bottom-Up Creativity: Giving teams open access to AI tools and removing experimentation barriers resulted in innovation across functions like marketing, design, and customer support.
Smart Starts & Quick Wins: Retailers realise immediate AI benefits by tapping into AI-enabled features already built into SaaS platforms (no custom build required).
A Human-Centric Future, Powered by AI
The conversation also touched on responsible AI use, the potential ‘deskilling’ of future generations, and the importance of staying human in an increasingly automated world. As Simon cautioned, “AI isn’t here to replace decision-making, but to enhance it.” That sentiment resonated throughout the room; AI must be a tool for empowerment, not displacement.
In a market saturated with hype, fusefabric’s breakfast provided a grounded, practical exploration of AI in retail. It was clear: while the pace of change is daunting, those willing to experiment, simplify, and rethink operations will be the ones to lead.
What’s Next?
This AI breakfast continues fusefabric’s commitment to fostering open dialogue among digital leaders. The series will return soon with more focused conversations on transformation, technology, and what’s next for enterprise commerce.
In the meantime, join the movement. Download the “Commerce is Complex” eBook to uncover practical strategies from leading brands, and stay tuned for the next event in fusefabric’s innovation breakfast series.
Let’s shape the future of retail, together.