Artificial intelligence in ecommerce is no longer the future, it’s happening now. But what’s next? At eCom Insights ‘25, industry leaders, including Rael Cline (CPO at Optimizon), Jim Mann (Global Head of Partnerships at Threecolts), and Elliott Murphy-Kerry (Head of Ecommerce & Strategic Industries at Google Cloud), dissected the AI landscape and what we can expect in the coming year. Their insights were both exciting and cautionary, painting a picture of an ecommerce world that is faster, smarter, and increasingly complex.
AI’s Role in Decision-Making: Speed, Efficiency, and Scale
One of AI’s most powerful contributions to ecommerce is its ability to accelerate decision-making. Jim Mann highlighted how AI is reducing the need for manual analysis, helping brands detect opportunities and errors in real-time. Where analysts once spent months trawling through data, AI now spots discrepancies and potential revenue streams in minutes.
Elliott Murphy-Kerry pointed out that AI is not just improving speed but also democratising access to advanced data analysis. Previously, only large-scale businesses with deep pockets could afford sophisticated market research. Now, AI-powered research agents can scan 150 websites in half an hour, pulling together comprehensive competitor analysis that would have taken human teams days or even weeks.
Hyper-Personalisation: AI’s Biggest Ecommerce Advantage
A key theme of the discussion was hyper-personalisation. AI’s ability to tailor user experiences at scale is transforming how brands interact with customers. Instead of segmenting audiences into broad categories, AI allows ecommerce brands to offer truly individualised recommendations, mirroring a one-to-one shopping experience.
As AI systems learn more about consumer preferences and behaviour, the potential for ultra-personalised shopping experiences becomes enormous. Expect AI-driven product discovery tools, predictive shopping models, and intelligent upselling tactics that anticipate a customer’s needs before they even realise them themselves.
The Trust Challenge: Overcoming the ‘Hesitation Reflex’
While AI-driven ecommerce is full of promise, it also comes with challenges. One major hurdle is consumer trust. As generative AI creates increasingly lifelike avatars, deepfakes, and automated content, customers are developing what Accenture calls the ‘hesitation reflex’—a reluctance to trust digital interactions. The panel discussed how brands need to prioritise transparency, ensuring that AI-generated content is clearly labelled and validated.
Jim Mann stressed that businesses need to think carefully about how AI is positioned in the customer journey. While AI can increase efficiency, brands must balance automation with human elements to maintain credibility and authenticity.
AI in Product Development: The Speed Factor
AI is also revolutionising product development. With tools like Helium 10, brands can instantly analyse what consumers love (or hate) about a category and create new products that fill gaps in the market. This removes much of the risk from product development, ensuring that businesses bring offerings to market that are already validated by real consumer demand.
Jim Mann noted that companies not using AI for product development will soon find themselves months behind competitors. With AI-driven insights, businesses can iterate quickly, refine product concepts, and launch with confidence—all at speeds that were previously unimaginable.
The Role of AI Agents and the Coming ‘Memory Revolution’
One of the most anticipated advancements in AI is the development of models with memory. Right now, AI tools like ChatGPT provide useful responses but lack continuity between sessions. Rael Cline explained that the moment AI systems can remember past interactions, they will become true personal assistants—both for consumers and businesses.
For ecommerce brands, this means AI-driven customer support that remembers past purchases, marketing that adapts in real time, and AI-generated recommendations that genuinely feel intuitive. This ‘memory revolution’ could redefine digital shopping, making online experiences even more seamless and human-like.
Getting Started with AI: Where Brands Should Focus
The panel was clear: AI implementation should start small and be carefully managed. Elliott Murphy-Kerry advised that businesses foster a culture of experimentation, ensuring teams have room to test AI applications in low-risk environments. A practical way to get started is by creating a ‘prompt library’—a shared internal resource that standardises AI usage across different teams and ensures quality outputs.
Jim Mann also warned of the risks of ‘AI have-a-go heroes’—employees experimenting with AI tools without governance. AI must be controlled within an enterprise environment, with clear policies on data validation and security. While adoption should be encouraged, businesses need proper oversight to avoid costly mistakes.
AI in Ecommerce: The Bottom Line
AI is changing ecommerce in profound ways, and 2025 will be a defining year. The brands that thrive will be those that embrace AI strategically—leveraging its power for hyper-personalisation, intelligent automation, and product innovation while maintaining trust and authenticity.
As AI tools become more sophisticated and accessible, the barriers to entry will continue to fall. What was once the domain of tech giants is now available to businesses of all sizes. But with great power comes great responsibility—navigating the fine line between efficiency and trust will be the defining challenge of AI in ecommerce.
The future is here. The question is: are you ready for it?
