A recent report from Pattern says that 76% of global ecommerce brands are actively investing in AI and using it for everything from improving the customer experience to saving money to staying competitive.
The report also offered plenty of other data about where AI is being adopted in the value chain and what the future may hold for AI in ecommerce.
76% of Ecommerce Brands Investing in AI
Pattern recently released a report all about AI in ecommerce that unveiled several important insights. The report surveyed over 1,000 senior business managers and leaders from across the USA, UK, Germany, and UAE.
Arguably, the biggest takeaway from the report is that 76% of organizations are actively investing in AI, which is a massive amount and truly highlights the fact that companies all over the world are buying into the technology.
Broken down by country, the UK leads the way with 81% of brands investing in AI, followed by the USA at 80%, UAE at 76%, and Germany at 69%.
In terms of numbers, ecommerce companies globally have invested an average of $291,626 in AI over the past year. However, this number is set to rise to $323,886 over the next 12 months.
This shows that ecommerce brands across the globe are recognizing the power of AI and are committed to it in the future. Not only that, but three-quarters of respondents believe that in five years, their industries will be unrecognizable due to AI.
There are a Variety of Reasons Why Brands Adopt AI
The report also touches on the motivations these companies have for adopting AI. While the motivations vary, some of the most common reasons include:
- Enhancing customer service (30% of respondents)
- Improving operational efficiency (28%)
- Regulatory or compliance pressures (28%)
- Staying competitive in the market (28%)
- To reduce costs (21%)
AI is Used in All Parts of the Ecommerce Value Chain
The report also highlights just where in the value chain AI is most commonly used:
- 38% currently use AI for marketing and advertising, with 45% planning to implement it.
- 37% use it for the customer experience, with 45% planning to implement it.
- 36% use it for fulfillment and operations, with 46% planning to implement it.
- 36% use it for expansion and strategy, with 44% planning to implement it.
- 35% use it for pricing and sales, with 46% planning to implement it.
As far as where AI will create the most value for organizations over the next two years, the most common responses by those surveyed were smart fulfillment and logistics, dynamic pricing and sales forecasting, as well as trend forecasting and market intelligence.
The Future of Commerce is AI-Powered
It also showcased the fact that the future of commerce is set to be redefined by AI, specifically agentic AI. AI agents will change how customers discover, research, and ultimately purchase products, with recommendations, personalized assistance, and more.
In fact, 57% of businesses are exploring use cases for agentic AI, and 33% are already preparing to roll them out. However, the specific readiness for AI agents varies across industries.
For example, in the fashion industry, 46% of companies are prepared for the shift to agentic AI, while 44% are exploring use cases. For beauty, 27% are prepared and 59% are exploring use cases, and for the vitamin/supplement sector, the numbers are 28% and 62%, respectively.
Whether you’re already invested in AI, or just exploring the possibilities, I believe the results of this report are important to keep in mind and be aware of.
They give an inside look at what thousands of business leaders think about AI, and offer crucial insights about where companies are using AI, the value it provides, and several other key pieces of information that your brand can use going forward.
