EP104: Retail’s Next Act: Human Connection in an AI World with Christi Geary

Future Shop Podcast with WSL

Future Shop Podcast with WSL
EP104: Retail’s Next Act: Human Connection in an AI World with Christi Geary
Jan 05, 2026 Season 5 Episode 104
WSL Strategic Retail

In this episode of Future Shop, Wendy Liebmann sits down with Christi Geary, EVP at Advantage Marketing Partners, to explore the evolving landscape of retail and the enduring power of the human connection. They dive into the intersection of technology and emotion, discussing why physical retail remains vital despite the digital explosion and how brands must shift from simple execution to true transformation. Geary shares her unique perspective on breaking through the "mediocrity middle" by leveraging behavioral science and proprietary points of view to create harmonious shopping experiences. 

Highlights include:

  • The Attention Economy: Why breaking through the noise has become a different task in the age of constant technological shifts. 
  • Physical Retail’s Reinvention: Why the "race for reinvention" stalled and how retailers can tap into the human thirst for physical connection. 
  • AI as Augmentation: Moving beyond mere efficiency to use technology as a tool for enhancing the human shopping journey. 
  • Systems Over Silos: The necessity of breaking down corporate barriers to create a cohesive, shopper-centric ecosystem. 

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