Over the past few years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reshaped the way businesses operate, connect with customers, and make data-driven decisions. With tremendous growth expected in the coming years, from nearly USD100 billion to nearly USD two trillion by 2030, AI is set to further transform every sector. In e-commerce, AI-driven innovations are not only enhancing customer experiences but also revolutionizing the entire supply chain.
A recent Adobe blog has revealed that personalized ecommerce experiences can delight customers while driving serious results for the companies that deliver them.
Canadian ecommerce firm Shopify said it would launch an artificial intelligence assistant for merchants on its platform, the latest technology company to roll out such a feature.
The assistant called Sidekick would be embedded as a button on Shopify and answer merchant queries, including details about sales trends, CEO Tobi Lutke illustrated in a video posted on Twitter.
Companies such as Alibaba Group, Zoom Video Communications and Databricks have all launched AI assistants in the last few months following the massive jump in the use of OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT.
OpenAI said the visual input capability of GPT-4 is assisting Be My Eyes, a Denmark-base stat-up, for developing a GPT-4 powered Virtual Volunteer within the Be My Eyes app that can generate the same level of context and understanding as a human volunteer.
Alphabet’s Google Bard generative artificial intelligence is currently available to its Search tool for users in the United States, India and Japan that will show text or visual results to prompts, including summaries.
Some of the prominent use cases of AI in e-commerce are the following:
Personalized shopping: AI tailors your shopping experience based on your preferences, suggesting products and providing 24/7 assistance through chatbots.
Visual search: AI uses images to help you find similar products and streamlines inventory management for businesses.
Inventory optimization: AI analyzes data to ensure stores have the right stock levels, reducing overstock and understock issues.
Security: AI detects and prevents online fraud in real-time, safeguarding your transactions.
Customer support: AI-powered chatbots offer instant assistance, analyzing customer feedback to improve services.
Voice shopping: AI understands your voice commands, making online shopping as easy as having a conversation with your device.
Who’s doing what?
With AI making significant strides in e-commerce, major firms have stepped up investments in the sector. Amazon president and CEO Andrew Jassy recently stated that generative AI is going to be “at the heart of what we do.” He added that every one of their teams is working on building generative AI applications that reinvent and enhance their customers’ experience.
In India, one of the fastest growing ecommerce markets in the world, Amazon introduced a generative AI tool named Amazon Sah-AI for Indian SMBs, making their e-commerce journey streamlined and hassle free. The personal assistant tool will use large language models to offer product attributes based on the images sellers upload on the platform. It will make the onboarding process hassle free, by helping with registration, listing and advertising support through AI-generated responses.
Globally, Amazon competitors like Ebay and Etsy have also broadened their AI vision recently. Ebay is using AI to power authentication for apparel. Ebay’s recent acquisition of Certilogo is a progressive move in this direction. Certilogo provides AI-powered authentication for apparel.
In May, Ebay also introduced a new feature called Magical Listing that leverages AI to streamline sellers’ listing process, as well as to improve buyer search and recommendations. Magical Listing “dramatically reduces this friction for our sellers via AI-generated item descriptions,” Ebaypresident and CEO Jamie Iannone said.
Ebay also plans to “fine-tune the breadth of inventory and other aspects of the shopping journey to cater to the varying needs of new buyers, infrequent shoppers and Ebay enthusiasts,” Iannone added.
Etsy is harnessing the power of AI and machine learning to improve buyer experiences by expanding its product offerings, and using machine learning models to predict item quality.Additionally, AI is being employed to bolster trust and safety measures by detecting policy violations and enhancing the overall buyer and seller experience. Similar to eBay, Etsy is leveraging AI to enhance buyer searches, simplify seller listings, handle customer inquiries, and strengthen fraud detection.
Ecommerce major Shopify recently announced it is launching an artificial intelligence assistant called Sidekick that answers merchant queries, including details about sales trend.
Earlier this year Alibaba Cloud, the cloud-computing unit of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, launched TongyiQianwen, an AI-based language model integrated across all products offered by Alibaba.
Emerging trends of AI in e-commerce
The future of AI in e-commerce is highly promising. Here are some key developments and possibilities to watch for:
AI-driven customer loyalty programs: AI can analyze customer behavior to create highly targeted loyalty programs, offering incentives and rewards based on individual preferences and purchase history.
Augmented reality (AR) shopping: AR technology combined with AI can enable customers to virtually try on clothes, visualize furniture in their homes, or test cosmetics before making a purchase.
AI-powered content creation: AI algorithms can generate product descriptions, reviews, and marketing content, saving businesses time and resources.
Blockchain Integration: AI and blockchain can work together to enhance transparency in the supply chain, ensuring product authenticity and reducing counterfeit goods.
Ethical and sustainable shopping: AI can help customers make ethical and sustainable choices by providing information about product origins, materials, and environmental impact.
Challenges in AI implementation
While AI has brought about numerous advancements in e-commerce, it also presents several challenges that businesses in the industry need to address:
Data privacy and security: E-commerce companies collect vast amounts of customer data to power AI algorithms. Ensuring the security and privacy of this data is paramount. Data breaches can lead to severe financial and reputational damage. Stricter data protection regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, require businesses to be vigilant about data security.
Algorithmic bias: AI algorithms are only as good as the data they are trained on. Biased data can result in discriminatory outcomes, such as biased product recommendations or pricing. E-commerce companies must actively work to identify and mitigate bias in their AI systems to avoid legal and ethical issues.
Integration challenges: Implementing AI solutions in existing e-commerce platforms can be complex and costly. Ensuring seamless integration with legacy systems and databases while maintaining data consistency and accuracy is a significant challenge.
Costs and ROI: Developing and maintaining AI systems requires a substantial investment in technology, talent, and infrastructure. Measuring the return on investment (ROI) of AI initiatives can be challenging, especially for smaller e-commerce businesses.
Customer trust and transparency: Customers are becoming increasingly aware of AI’s presence in e-commerce, and there is a need for transparency. Businesses must be clear about how AI is used and ensure that customers trust AI-driven recommendations and decisions.
Talent shortage: The demand for AI and machine learning experts far exceeds the supply. E-commerce companies often struggle to find and retain qualified AI professionals, which can hinder their AI initiatives.
Scalability: As e-commerce businesses grow, their AI systems need to scale as well. Scaling AI infrastructure and ensuring it can handle increasing data volumes and user interactions can be a significant technical challenge.
Regulatory compliance: E-commerce companies must navigate a complex regulatory landscape, especially when dealing with AI-driven technologies. Regulations around data privacy, consumer protection, and fair competition can impact AI implementations.
Customer resistance: Some customers may be resistant to AI-driven interactions, preferring human support and decision-making. E-commerce companies need to strike a balance between automation and maintaining a personalized human touch.
Competitive pressure: As AI adoption becomes more widespread in the e-commerce industry, there is intense competition to offer the most advanced AI-powered features and services. Businesses that do not keep up may risk falling behind.
In conclusion, AI is reshaping e-commerce by offering unprecedented levels of personalization, efficiency, and security. The latest trends in AI-powered e-commerce, from personalized shopping experiences to voice commerce, are just the beginning of the transformation.
As technology continues to advance, we can expect even more innovative applications that will revolutionize how we shop online. To reap the best results, companies need to also adopt a strategic approach that addresses issues related to data privacy, bias, integration, cost, and more. E-commerce companies that can navigate these challenges effectively are likely to gain an edge in terms of improved customer experiences, increased efficiency, and a competitive edge in the industry.
Rajani Baburajan
