New training program to strengthen retail sector’s capabilities
AI is reshaping retail business models and competitiveness, impacting everything from warehousing and distribution to customer relationships. Now, Svensk handel (Swedish Commerce) and AI Sweden are launching a tailored training program designed to help retail companies transition from isolated AI tests to a strategic capability that generates business value.
With a focus on leadership, data, and new ways of working, the goal is for Sweden to remain at the forefront of an increasingly agentic and data-driven retail landscape.
Our goal is to give retailers the tools they need to not just keep up, but to lead the way. It’s about building a long-term capability where AI becomes a natural part of the business strategy.
Josephine Darlington
Strategic Initiative Developer Retail
Increasing AI maturity in retail
Retail accounts for 11 percent of Sweden's GDP, yet the industry has so far lacked targeted initiatives to build AI capability on a broad scale. Meanwhile, customer behaviors are changing rapidly—consumers increasingly expect personalized, seamless, and predictive experiences.
Through the partnership with the Swedish Federation of Trade, knowledge sharing can be scaled up to reach leaders who can implement changes in practice. This is the first of several targeted initiatives within retail, Darlington notes.
To meet this challenge, the Swedish Federation of Trade and AI Sweden are now launching two training programs. Their common thread is a focus on real business benefit – not technology for technology’s sake.
The first track is a broad digital program designed to raise AI literacy across the entire organization. Over six months and six sessions, participants gain a shared foundational understanding of how AI can be applied to everyday retail operations—from identifying relevant use cases and workflows to establishing necessary prerequisites and proper data management.
The second program is divided into two tracks based on existing maturity levels: "starter" or "experimenter." These tracks are aimed at management and AI leads who want to take the next step – either by establishing basic structures or by moving from pilot projects to scaling and concrete value creation.
"Over the past year, we have seen significant demand for concrete knowledge within the industry. Many companies have tested AI tools, but few have managed to scale them into an organizational capability that actually drives the business forward," says Josephine Darlington.
Starting in April
The sign-up deadline is March 13. The program is fee-based and begins in April 2026. Companies that are members of the Swedish Commerce or partners of AI Sweden are discounted.
Visit the Swedish Commerce for registration, pricing, and more information -->
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