Dmall Highlights AI-Driven Retail Growth at NACS Convenience Summit Asia

From March 10 to 12, the NACS Convenience Summit Asia was held in Shanghai. Hosted by NACS, one of the world’s leading associations for the convenience retail industry, the event brought together industry leaders from 25 countries and regions to discuss key topics including AI, automation, supply chain transformation, and changing consumer demand.

Participants included leading retailers from Southeast Asia and Europe, such as Central Retail, CP All, and Marks & Spencer, as well as experts from McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, NielsenIQ, and other organizations such as China Chain Store & Franchise Association (CCFA).

At the event, Zhongwei Ren, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of Dmall Inc. (02586.HK), delivered a keynote titled “Returning Retail to its Essence through Digital Intelligence.” Drawing on developments in China’s retail market, Ren shared how digital intelligence and AI are helping retailers improve operations and strengthen long-term competitiveness.

Consumer behavior in China is changing rapidly. Consumers are becoming more value-conscious and selective, with greater focus on quality and trust. At the same time, emotional consumption, the silver economy, and rising health awareness are creating new demand.

Against this backdrop, retailers need to strengthen their core capabilities and upgrade their operating models. In Ren’s view, meeting these demands now requires more than traditional labor-intensive management. Digital intelligence and AI have become a strategic necessity for the industry.

A key focus of the keynote was AI’s growing role in retail operations. While retail is often seen as labor-intensive, Ren noted that it is in fact highly suited to AI, given its reliance on frequent decision-making, repeated execution, real-time feedback, and continuous optimization.

He also highlighted Dmall’s latest AI innovations in retail, including AI Agents designed for merchandise operations and store operations. These solutions are helping retailers improve execution, increase efficiency, and build more intelligent operating systems.

“AI is not about replacing individual roles, but about enabling the entire decision chain to sense change in real time, make dynamic decisions, and continuously optimize performance,” Ren said. Dmall will continue to deepen its capabilities in digital intelligence and AI innovation to support retailers in building smarter, future-ready operations.