Future Commerce

VISIONS Summit • MoMA NYC • Nov 3, 2026

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

We told you we were working on something big. 👀 VISIONS Summit is back at NYC’s Museum of Modern Art, and we have 25+ speakers ready to tackle one bold statement: "AI is rewriting commerce. Culture is next."

Be in the room where we’ll ponder, debate, and envision what comes next. Your ticket gives you a full day of programming, museum access, and more: https://t.co/uj1GBtwCgn

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

Has technology made us awful gift-givers? Or is it empowering the magic-makers to focus on what actually matters? In this week's Insiders, @Alicia_FioEspo unpacks her family's holiday traditions and the role that AI now plays in creating meaningful moments: https://t.co/OMBKo3PLWN

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

A 12-foot skeleton has completely changed Halloween culture. The oversized lawn item, affectionately known as Skelly, has also been a slam dunk for The Home Depot.

On the latest episode of the pod, we sit down with the merchant who not only made Skelly a thing but is also building the retailer's strategy to engage Haunters everywhere.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or simply click here: https://t.co/BFKZBSQymt

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

How does America plan to stay ahead in the AI race?

For years, America’s playbook against China has leaned on sanctions and tariffs. Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez thinks we’ve leaned on them too hard.

“I think that our strategy needs to be to out-innovate China.”

China is centralized, “a big tribe of 1.4 billion people,” all working toward one cause.

America runs on the individual, the private sector, and immigrants “who come with a dream and hungry to prosper.”

Carlos argues that the U.S. leads in AI because of that model, and that weakening it would cost us the race.

The full conversation is on our YouTube, or on our podcast wherever you listen.

https://t.co/P2I2HF57U5

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

U.S. consumers are expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, driven partly by nostalgia and partly by escapism. @WaltDisneyCo is turning these behavioral triggers into revenue opportunities.

Sure, the parks matter, but the Consumer Products division turns those Halloween parties and physical experiences into retail activation and personal connection. We sat down with Liz Shortreed, SVP of the Americas for Disney Consumer Products, to dig deeper into the model that is breathing new life into the company's IP: https://t.co/Z8DswH62GH

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

We've expanded our supply chain coverage because, in the era of digital deluge, atoms matter more than electrons. And it's why we've become an official media partner for @ManifestFOL. Want to join us in Vegas? We've got a special deal, just for you: https://t.co/w8AvRSG3JN

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

@tiktok_us is the latest platform to go all in on commerce media. TikTok Ad Network appears to be their effort to close the "creator gap" in the current commerce media ecosystem. It will let advertisers reach 400,000 apps worldwide, spanning entertainment, banking, news, and more. We got the scoop, straight from AWNY: https://t.co/ErD07HgX7S

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

We used @Merciv_ai to find out what separates the leaders from the laggards. We dug into business models, funding news, wholesale expansion timelines, social following transfer, and even reviews and sentiment analysis. The end result is an in-depth report on how the space is evolving and how other brands can keep pace: https://t.co/z8QCJ1a5j3

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

The celebrity and creator brand ecosystem is exploding. But recent headlines show that a well-known name and face don't make a successful brand on their own. In fact, the results point to glaring contradictions...

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

Alex Cooper shuttered Unwell Beverage Co. one day after raising a major outside investment for her media brand. Ariana Grande had to buy back r.e.m. beauty after its parent incubator filed for bankruptcy. Kristen Bell's Hello Bello did the same, despite having national distribution at Walmart.

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

@tarikh @TamronHallShow Superstar 🤩

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

AI is helping C-level execs become individual contributors again. @OUI_thePeople's Karen Young rebuilt her eCom site, launched a digital chief of Staff, and used Claude to optimize her physical events strategy. We sat down with Karen Young to learn how her ongoing AI work and partnership with Superculture (@tarikh) are helping her chart a new path to growth: https://t.co/YV4YQ2IVXj

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

Carlos Gutierrez ran Kellogg before serving as U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 2005 to 2009. Every leader knows the tension between speed and process, decisiveness and accountability. Few have seen it from both a Fortune 500 corner office and the president's cabinet.

Carlos joins Future Commerce on next week's episode to unpack the evolution of the Commerce Department. Subscribe to catch the episode as soon as it's live.

https://t.co/PA8KHuVpui

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

Hermès has been running on "proof of work" since 1837. At VISIONS, Juliette Arnaud of Hermès will join Karen Young of OUI the People to discuss how brands of all sizes are balancing human craft, intention, and automation. Writer and graphic designer Elizabeth Goodspeed will moderate, touching on how AI is shaping how we create and connect. Join us November 3 at the MoMA NYC: https://t.co/SGlyS7ePv7

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

If you thought the collectibles market was relegated to trading cards or sneakers, let Walmart be your barometer for how widespread and expansive the Collector Economy has become.

With its new "drawing" experience, it has turned $5.97 NeeDoh fidget toys into commerce events. When does this level of work and friction make sense?

We unpack the trend here, courtesy of @EQLofficial: https://t.co/B6MSNKI4NU

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

We’ll be unpacking the narrative further at VISIONS 2026 in NYC. Catch up on the story so far with “The Reality Engine”: https://t.co/s7oOkOb64g

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

Last year at VISIONS, ethnographer @default_friend explored our attachment to inanimate objects like Tamagotchis and why they eventually feel real. @Meta's Muse Charm is the latest example of how AI is creating a new breed of imaginary friend that we create, nurture, and embed into our lives.

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

There’s a clear commerce tie, with @Gap, @Walmart, @BestBuy, and @Fanatics already signed on to connect to Muse. Your new sidekick can also be your personal shopper. But by combining data collection, personal interaction, and commerce into one intuitive platform, Muse Charm becomes an “empathy-mining rig,” which has major implications for brands and consumers alike.

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

@Etsy’s marketplace lists 100M+ items, and most of them are one-of-a-kind or made to order. How does a business rooted in human work use AI intentionally to support its customers and makers? We’ll unpack this idea on the VISIONS stage with Rafe Colburn, Etsy's Chief Product and Technology Officer. Early Bird tickets are still available: https://t.co/uj1GBtxa5V

[Future Commerce @futurecommerce]

@Petco ran a guinea pig soccer tournament during the World Cup and a spider-themed event to celebrate the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This month, it’s Catember and soon, Petcoween. This is the new pop-culture x retail calendar, and Alison Hiatt, Petco’s SVP of Brand + Creative, gave us the inside scoop: https://t.co/KoqhWaLxjY