Flipping How Shopping Centers Should Think About AI
We wrote a feature article for ICSC highlighting groundbreaking research that proves something most people didn't see coming - shopping centers actually have a major advantage in the age of AI.
While everyone's worried about AI taking over retail, we believe that the opposite is true. Here's why this matters for your shopping center.
3 AI advantages your shopping center already has
1. Your physical space is AI-resistant
Here's the thing: when shoppers visit your center, brands connect directly with customers. No AI gatekeepers deciding what gets recommended or filtered out. Your tenants control their own discovery journey something online retailers simply can't match.
2. You can deploy AI at ecosystem at scale
Individual retailers struggle to build sophisticated AI tools, but shopping centers have unique advantages. One comprehensive AI assistant can understand your entire center, like tenant mix, events, promotions, customer flow, delivering personalized experiences no single store can match.
3. Your data creates competitive moats
Physical retail spaces represent "the most underdeveloped arena in retail media," according to our research. As AI assistants increasingly control online purchase paths, your physical and digital assets become more valuable as premium advertising inventory.
Let’s repeat
The research that's getting attention
The research we shared with ICSC shows the findings from Purdue University research: Using their Generalized Additive Neural Network Model with AI-chip-embedded sensors across 25 malls, researchers demonstrated that AI-driven marketing optimization achieved an 11% improvement in customer traffic compared to traditional approaches.
Even better? Experience-focused campaigns significantly outperformed sales-only incentives in driving foot traffic.
This isn't theoretical anymore, it’s proven. Shopping centers that optimize for AI discovery while leveraging their natural advantages are already seeing measurable results.
Ready to explore your AI opportunity?
The transformation is happening whether you participate or not. Early movers are gaining significant competitive advantages, and the gap is widening.
Want to see how these strategies apply to your center? Book a consultation to explore your shopping center's AI potential because the future of retail discovery is being written now.
Get the complete strategy
Read our full ICSC article that breaks down exactly how shopping centers can capitalize on these opportunities, with specific implementation strategies and real-world examples.
We’ve hit the point in time that this isn't about fighting AI, it's about using AI's power while leveraging advantages only shopping centers possess.
Let's make this AI transformation work for your shopping center. The opportunity is here, and it's bigger than most people realize. Contact us today