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The 3 next big things in commerce tech for 2026
Business & Technology
Fast Company TechnologyEN
October 6, 2026

The 3 next big things in commerce tech for 2026

AI is poised to transform virtually everything about online and physical retail, from product exposure and recommendations to consumers even having to complete the transactions for themselves. These honorees are setting the stage for agentic commerce, allowing critical medical supplies to take flight and providing physical retailers with comprehensive intelligence about shopping variables within and beyond the store. American ExpressFor putting agents on the checkout lineDuring the early days of e-commerce, retailers strived to simplify online purchasing for consumers. In the AI era, a new wave of accommodations must be forged to allow frictionless transactions by agents. American Express’s Agentic Commerce Experiences (ACE) toolkit leverages the company’s experience across a range of financial roles and includes a new trust model focused on identity, intent, accountability, and visibility. But Amex is still keeping humans in mind through a new agent purchase-protection program that protects eligible card members from charges resulting from certain AI agent errors. Early-access developer partners have recently signed on to ACE, which could further drive the record card-member purchases the company reported in its most recent quarter. CVS HealthFor making delivery of critical products airborneWhile several companies have deployed drones during emergencies and others have piloted broad drone delivery programs, CVS’s Air Response program targets a scenario that falls in the middle: serving patients who need critical supplies such as naloxone, epinephrine, and automated external defibrillators (AEDs). As a retailer serving mass markets, CVS has designed its drone network to operate safely in urban environments. The company is now exploring integration with 911 systems and has announced partnerships with Thales and SkyfireAI as it frees up investment dollars through its exit of the Omnicare long-term-care pharmacy segment. WVNFor developing holistic retail site intelligencePhysical-store owners have long envied e-retailers that have nearly perfect accounts of the digital pathways purchasers travel through their storefronts. WVN seeks to create a comparable level of market intelligence for brick-and-mortar players. StoreBrain is an AI agent that acts as a persistent AI intelligence layer for physical storefronts, capturing and analyzing not only onsite indicators like transactions, foot traffic, and shelf input but also inputs beyond the store, such as online reviews. The company’s training data also covers demographics, psychographics, economics, and even weather data. The company reports that 93% of stores using its platform report improved conversion. It recently inked a partnership with menswear brand Mugsy, which operates eight physical stores. The companies and individuals behind these technologies are among the honorees in Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech awards for 2026. Read more about the winners across all categories and the methodology behind the selection process.

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Curated from Fast Company Technology. Classified as Business & Technology by AI, which sometimes makes mistakes.

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