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Tech & Innovation·September 21, 2026·1 min read

The man who built Apple’s stores doesn’t buy Silicon Valley’s bet on AI shopping

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Skepticism from the architect of Apple’s retail play is a useful counterweight to the “AI shopping” narrative—experience and trust are still human-heavy in high-value purchases. For commerce teams, the near-term role of AI is likely pre-visit curation and post-purchase support, not replacing frontline staff in the core buying moment.