What: Boston Consulting Group details the impact of AI on strategy teams, highlighting the shift toward decentralised, always-on strategy development and the emergence of new human-machine collaboration roles.

Why it is important: This shift mirrors developments in retail, where AI-driven decentralisation and new collaboration models are critical for agility and sustained competitiveness.

The Boston Consulting Group article examines how AI is poised to fundamentally reshape the corporate strategy function, moving well beyond automating routine tasks to redefining how organisations develop, execute, and adapt strategy. With more than 80% of traditional strategy activities exposed to AI disruption, the article describes a future in which decentralised, always-on strategy becomes possible, enabling teams across the organisation to access powerful analytical tools and contribute insights in real time. This transformation is expected to drive more agile resource allocation, faster decision-making, and a continuous flow of strategic options. The article also introduces new roles, such as social and technical strategists, who will be responsible for orchestrating human-machine collaboration, managing change, and ensuring that AI-driven processes align with organisational goals. Ultimately, the authors argue that the strategy function’s value will increasingly depend on its ability to blend human judgment with AI-driven analysis, curate critical questions, and maintain coherence in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

IADS Notes: The rapid evolution of AI in corporate strategy, as described in the Boston Consulting Group article, is mirrored in the retail sector’s ongoing transformation. BCG’s February 2026 analysis highlights how leading retailers are leveraging domain-specific, agentic AI models to drive automation, enhance customer engagement, and achieve measurable efficiency gains, though only a minority have managed to scale these initiatives due to persistent challenges in integration and workforce readiness. Retail Touchpoints in January 2026 underscores the shift from generic to tailored AI, with nearly half of retailers piloting autonomous solutions but only 10% achieving full-scale deployment, emphasising the need for robust governance and human oversight. BCG’s September and November 2025 reports further illustrate that GenAI and AI-first strategies are enabling data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement in supplier negotiations and internal processes. Still, success depends on organisational change, leadership commitment, and upskilling. Forbes, in October 2025, reinforces that AI agents are redefining roles and workflows, requiring comprehensive training and cultural adaptation. Collectively, these sources confirm that the future of retail strategy will be shaped by those who can blend technological innovation with agile leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a relentless focus on both operational excellence and workforce development.

The corporate strategy function in an AI-first world