Vusion and Qualcomm Technologies share their vision for stores built on BLE, EdgeSense and AI

Vusion and Qualcomm Technologies have released The AI-Native Store: The New Operating System for Physical Commerce, a jointly developed white paper which claims that BLE native infrastructure, intelligent shelves, spatial signals, and on-device AI will redefine how stores operate, how associates work, and how shoppers engage.

The pair say that AI native stores unlock value across the board for retailers, namely: Better on-shelf availability and double digit improvements in shelf condition; Faster, more accurate picking for local e-commerce; 60–90 minutes of associate time saved per shift; Clearer, more confident shopper decision-making in the aisle; Deterministic, closed-loop retail media attribution; Up to 1.5–2 points of operating margin upside.

Art Miller, VP and Global Head of Retail, Qualcomm Technologies, says: “AI at the edge will transform everyday environments and retail is leading the way. The next era of intelligent computing happens at the edge, on the devices and sensors we use every day.”

“Retail is one of the industries best positioned to benefit from this shift. Together with Vusion, we are empowering stores to run AI natively, unlocking new levels of responsiveness and enabling richer interactions between stores, associates and shoppers. BLE and on-device AI will be central to this transformation.”

Thierry Gadou, Chairman and CEO at Vusion, says: “AI native stores reshape the economics and the experience of physical commerce. They mark the next decade of retail transformation, giving associates the clarity and guidance they need, while helping shoppers make better decisions.”

“BLE connectivity, EdgeSense intelligence and on-device AI create stores that are not just more connected, but more efficient, more interactive, and more profitable. With Qualcomm, we are bringing AI into physical commerce, making the store itself intelligent, responsive, and continuously improving.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Physical stores will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Thursday, 15th October.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.