2027 LPRC Kickoff | Integrate

ONE Community Building
an AI-Ready Future

Wednesday, January 13, 2027Bloomingdale’s Corporate

28-07 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101

About the event

Launch the 2027 research year with new connections, shared priorities, and practical ideas for protecting your people and business. Explore the LPRC’s research agenda, discover opportunities to learn and contribute, and be there for ONE big announcement that will open a new chapter in how our community connects and collaborates.

Through expert discussions, interactive governance tabletops, and a practical computer vision AI readiness session, examine what it takes to adopt emerging technologies responsibly and adapt as their capabilities evolve. Work alongside fellow LPRC members to ask better questions, weigh competing priorities, and identify next steps for your organization.

Leave with fresh perspectives, practical takeaways, and a clearer plan for putting research and collaboration into action throughout 2027.

7:30 AM– 8:00 AM

Breakfast

Check-In & Breakfast

8:00 AM– 8:40 AM

Kickoff

2027 LPRC Members’ Journey & ONE Big Announcement

Speakers

Read Hayes, PhD, Executive Director and Founder

Cory Lowe, PhD, Director of Research

Tom Arigi, Chief of Staff

How will you make the most of your LPRC membership in 2027?

Explore the year ahead as we connect our research priorities, from violence prevention, theft and fraud, and supply chain protection to AI, emerging technologies, and governance, with opportunities to learn, contribute, and collaborate. Discover the events, working groups, research initiatives, and other engagement opportunities that align with your organization’s priorities, and see how your team can help shape the research and put findings into practice. Leave with a clearer plan for turning your membership into meaningful connections, actionable insights, and better-informed decisions.

Plus, be there for ONE big announcement that will open a new chapter in how the LPRC community connects and collaborates.

8:40 AM– 9:20 AM

Session

Between Protection and Progress: The Spectrum of Challenges Shaping Retail's Next Generation Technologies

Speakers

David Johnston, VP, Asset Protection and Retail Operations, NRF

Carolina Reppert, VP, AI and Technology Policy, Director, Center for Digital Risk and Innovation, NRF

An engaging fireside chat exploring the spectrum of challenges and opportunities facing retailers with emerging technologies. We’ll examine the evolving legislative landscape, discuss concerns of innovation outpacing regulation, and debate current policy issues involving privacy concerns, untamed AI-capabilities and the privatization of open-use technologies. Learn how retailers and technology providers can balance innovation, compliance, security and consumer trust.

9:20 AM– 9:30 AM

Tabletop Exercise

Governing What’s Next, Part 1: Beyond the Technology

Speakers

Cory Lowe, PhD, Director of Research

A technology’s capabilities are only part of the decision to use it. What else must a retailer consider and who needs to be involved? This introduction sets the stage for an interactive tabletop exploring responsible technology use. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of governance as an ongoing organizational responsibility, not simply a hurdle before deployment.

9:30 AM– 10:15 AM

Tabletop Exercise

Governing What’s Next, Part 2: What Are We Missing?

Speakers

Cory Lowe, PhD, Director of Research

The most important governance questions are not always the most obvious. Through an exercise, participants will examine the implications of technology use and identify considerations that could otherwise be overlooked. Attendees will leave with prioritized questions, proposed safeguards, and a clearer understanding of where additional information or expertise is needed.

10:15 AM– 10:45 AM

Networking Break

10:45 AM– 11:45 AM

Tabletop Exercise

Governing What’s Next, Part 3: From Discussion to Decisions

Speakers

Cory Lowe, PhD, Director of Research

Identifying the issues is one thing; agreeing on what to do about them is another. Building on the previous session, participants will bring different perspectives together, weigh competing priorities, and develop a shared path forward for a technology deployment. Attendees will leave with preliminary governance priorities, proposed next steps, and practical lessons for strengthening collaboration within their own organizations.

11:45 AM– 12:30 PM

Session

Ready to Deploy and Built to Adapt? Computer Vision AI Readiness

Speakers

Cory Lowe, PhD, Director of Research

A promising use case is only the starting point. What must be in place for an organization to pursue it—and to adapt as computer vision AI evolves? Through selected retail use cases, this session introduces a practical framework for assessing readiness across business objectives, data and infrastructure, people and workflows, performance expectations, and governance. Attendees will examine how requirements differ across types of applications, distinguish opportunities worth exploring or piloting from those requiring additional groundwork, and identify capabilities that support continued learning and adaptation. The focus is not simply on deploying today’s technology, but on building the organizational capacity to evaluate new possibilities, manage change, and make better investment and implementation decisions over time.

12:30 PM– 1:00 PM

Closing Remarks

Moving Forward as ONE: Let’s Make 2027 Count

Speakers

Cory Lowe, PhD, Director of Research

Read Hayes, PhD, Executive Director and Founder

Kickoff is just the beginning. This closing session connects the day’s insights and announcements to the opportunities ahead in the 2027 research year. From tackling shared challenges to putting findings into practice, every member has a role in what comes next. Leave energized to contribute, collaborate, and turn research into better protection for people and organizations as ONE LPRC community.

Select a session to view its description and speakers.