Artificial Intelligence is increasingly reshaping the way businesses operate, make decisions and interact with customers. The retail sector is no exception. Yet, for many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, the transition from curiosity to actual adoption remains challenging: businesses often lack clear guidance, adequate skills, reliable tools and training pathways that reflect their concrete needs.

On 4 June 2026, the Chamber of Commerce of Caserta will host “Retail Evolution: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on European SMEs”, the Italian event within the final conference series organised across the project partner countries. The conference will bring together institutions, companies, education and training stakeholders, and international experts to discuss the future of AI in retail and present the main outcomes of the INAIR project.

A European conversation on the future of retail

Institutional greetings will be delivered by Tommaso De Simone, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Caserta, and Gianluca Abbruzzese, CEO of Lascò, INAIR italian partner. The opening session will be followed by an overview of the current state of play, focusing on digital gaps and skills needs in the retail sector.

Then Miriam Lanzetta, Head of International Projects at Lascò, will present the key results of INAIR, highlighting the tools, training resources and learning pathways developed to help retail MSMEs approach AI in a structured and informed way.

A central moment of the agenda will be the roundtable “The Future of AI in Retail”, featuring experts from across Europe: Renata Włoch from the University of Warsaw, Ovidiu Acomi from TEAM4Excellence, Christina Harms from the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany, Thomas Fotiadis from the University of Cyprus, Maurizio Mesenzani from BSD and Gianluca Abbruzzese from Lascò. Their contributions will offer a cross-country perspective on opportunities, risks and priorities for a responsible and effective integration of AI in the retail ecosystem.

From research to practical tools

INAIR has developed a comprehensive support ecosystem for retail stakeholders. Its outputs are grounded in extensive research and designed to be directly usable by businesses, educators and trainers.

The project has delivered:

• a transnational analysis of AI-related skills needs and gaps in retail MSMEs;

• an AI Core Curriculum structured across different proficiency levels;

• digital AI Skills Assessment Tools to support personalised learning pathways;

• a map of trustworthy AI tools for retailers;

• open, multilingual educational resources for self-paced and blended learning;

• an e-learning environment offering differentiated training pathways;

• a Practical Guide for Facilitators to help trainers and educators integrate project resources into their activities.

The scale of the project’s research effort is significant: the consortium analysed 1,699 scientific publications, reviewed 107 policy and academic sources, examined 44,494 AI-related job advertisements, documented 16 real-life use cases and best practices, and engaged more than 100 experts through co-creation workshops, interviews and surveys.

The conference is designed for a broad yet clearly defined audience.

Retail businesses will gain insight into emerging AI trends, sector-specific opportunities and practical resources that can help them better understand their readiness and future options.

Schools, teachers and students in commerce-related fields will have the opportunity to connect educational pathways with evolving labour market needs and discover learning resources developed at European level.

Training providers and retail facilitators will be introduced to validated materials, assessment methodologies and practical guidance that can strengthen their own educational offer.

For all participants, the event will provide a valuable chance to engage with experts from different European countries, exchange perspectives and reflect on how AI can contribute to a more innovative, competitive and human-centred retail sector.

Date: 4 June 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Venue: Chamber of Commerce of Caserta, Conference Room

Event agenda: click here

To register: https://forms.gle/sEwNBu6Uf5qtqDng9