NRF 2025: What’s Next for Retail? Key Takeaways from the Big Show

Another NRF is in the books, and one thing is clear: vision technology is transforming retail.

From self-service in stores to automated pill counting in retail pharmacies, computer vision is expanding far beyond traditional use cases. Retailers and healthcare enterprises are embracing vision-based automation to streamline operations, improve accuracy, and enhance customer experiences.

At Aila, we’ve long believed that computer vision, paired with iOS and enterprise IT management solutions like Jamf, is the future of retail and healthcare automation. This year’s NRF confirmed that this transformation is happening now.

Vision Technology is Expanding Across Retail 

The biggest trend we saw at NRF? Retailers, pharmacies, and other enterprises are investing in vision-based automation across their operations.

Computer vision is no longer limited to self-checkout or barcode scanning—it’s now being used to enhance workflows, reduce errors, and improve efficiency across multiple touchpoints.Here’s how vision technology is making an impact:

Retail Pharmacy & Healthcare

• Automated pill counting – Improving accuracy and reducing manual workload for pharmacy technicians
• Technician workstations – Streamlining prescription management and fulfillment
• Faster patient check-in – Eliminating paperwork and reducing wait times for better patient experiences

Grocery, Warehouse & Retail

• Order picking & inventory management – Reducing human error and increasing fulfillment speed
• Smart fitting rooms – Delivering personalized recommendations with vision-powered insights
• Self-service kiosks – Enabling seamless checkout, returns, and ordering

This shift aligns perfectly with Aila’s vision-first approach. Our computer vision-powered self-service solutions are designed to optimize workflows, whether in a pharmacy, grocery store, or retail environment.

Retailers are Standardizing on iOS for Enterprise Operations

Another key takeaway from NRF? The future of enterprise retail is iOS.

In the past, retailers relied on a fragmented mix of Windows tablets, Android devices, and legacy POS systems. But at NRF 2025, it became clear: iOS is becoming the go-to platform for enterprise retail and healthcare.

Why? Because iOS offers:

• Enterprise-grade security – Protecting sensitive customer and patient data
• Seamless IT management – With solutions like Jamf, retailers can deploy, update, and manage thousands of devices at scale
• Longevity & reliability – Apple’s ecosystem ensures devices remain secure and supported for years

At Aila, we’ve built our vision-based automation solutions natively for iOS. By combining:

1. Apple’s powerful hardware & security
2. Jamf’s industry-leading IT management
3. Aila’s advanced computer vision technology

We provide retailers and healthcare enterprises with a fully integrated self-service platform. This saves them time, money, and resources—delivering unmatched ROI, efficiency, and user experience.

Eliminating Long Lines is Still a Top Priority

One constant from prior years: the biggest challenge retailers still face is long lines and friction-filled experiences. Shoppers simply won’t wait in long lines—they expect fast, seamless service, or they’ll take their business elsewhere.

Retailers are responding with self-service kiosks, mobile payments, and automation to speed up transactions and improve efficiency. At Aila, we’ve been solving this for years with vision-powered self-service solutions that reduce wait times, increase throughput, and create frictionless experiences.

At NRF, we asked retailers how scanning and automation could help their stores. The results were clear:

• 40% prioritized reducing lines and improving customer experiences
• 35% focused on streamlining workflows to optimize labor
• 25% emphasized modernizing operations across stores

The takeaway? Lines and labor are still retail’s biggest challenges—brands that aren’t investing in automation are falling behind.

Final Thoughts

While AI and automation were hot topics at NRF 2025, the real story was execution. Retailers and healthcare enterprises aren’t just talking about innovation—they’re implementing solutions that drive real results today.

Vision-powered automation, combined with iOS and enterprise IT management, is leading the way.

At Aila, we’re excited to continue helping retailers and healthcare providers deploy seamless, scalable, and intuitive self-service solutions that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and customer experiences.Want to see how Aila’s vision-powered self-service solutions can transform your business? Let’s connect: