Amex, CVS and WVN Named Commerce Tech's Next Big Things

American Express, CVS Health and startup WVN have been named among Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech honorees for 2026 for work that pushes AI deeper into how consumers buy, receive and evaluate products.

The three companies were recognized in the commerce technology category for distinct bets: Amex for infrastructure that lets AI agents complete purchases, CVS for drone delivery of emergency medical supplies, and WVN for AI-driven intelligence inside physical stores.

What is American Express building for AI checkout?

Amex's Agentic Commerce Experiences (ACE) toolkit, announced through the company's agentic commerce program, aims to let AI agents transact on behalf of consumers — a shift the company compares to the early days of e-commerce, when retailers raced to simplify online purchasing.

The toolkit draws on Amex's experience across financial roles and introduces a trust model built on four pillars: identity, intent, accountability and visibility. The company has not abandoned human customers in the process. A new agent purchase-protection program protects eligible card members from charges resulting from certain AI agent errors.

Early-access developer partners have recently signed on to ACE, according to the company. Amex sees the toolkit as a potential driver for further growth after reporting record card-member purchases in its most recent quarter.

How does CVS plan to deliver medical supplies by drone?

CVS Health's Air Response program targets a middle ground in drone delivery: not one-off emergency deployments, but routine service for patients who need critical supplies such as naloxone, epinephrine and automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

As a mass-market retailer, CVS has designed its drone network to operate safely in urban environments. The company is now exploring integration with 911 systems and has announced partnerships with French technology group Thales and SkyfireAI.

The investment in Air Response comes as CVS frees up capital through its exit from the Omnicare long-term-care pharmacy segment, redirecting resources toward the drone program and other initiatives.

What does WVN's StoreBrain do for physical retailers?

Physical-store owners have long envied e-retailers' near-perfect records of how shoppers move through digital storefronts. WVN, operating at wearewvn.ai, wants to close that gap.

The company's core product, StoreBrain, is an AI agent that acts as a persistent intelligence layer for physical storefronts. It captures and analyzes onsite indicators including transactions, foot traffic and shelf data, alongside inputs from beyond the store such as online reviews.

WVN's training data extends further, covering demographics, psychographics, economics and even weather data. The company reports that 93% of stores using its platform see improved conversion. It recently signed a partnership with menswear brand Mugsy, which operates eight physical stores.

Why do these three picks matter together?

The honorees span the full arc of a transaction: AI agents that complete purchases without human keystrokes at checkout, delivery systems that put critical medical products in the air, and intelligence layers that finally give brick-and-mortar operators the data visibility their online rivals have enjoyed for two decades.

Fast Company selected the winners across multiple categories as part of its Next Big Things in Tech awards for 2026, with a published methodology behind the selection process.

For incumbents and startups alike, the recognitions signal where commerce technology capital and product development are heading in 2026 — toward transactions completed by machines, deliveries made autonomously, and store decisions driven by AI models rather than instinct.