AI is changing how retailers select tech partners

"Surveys suggest customers want to use AI for shopping and to see AI tools from retailers. In a CI&T survey conducted in 2025, 58% of 1,040 U.S. consumers said retailers should use AI to improve the shopping experience, and almost 75% said they were already using AI tools at least occasionally in their path to purchase. In a separate survey from Gartner last March, 56% of millennials said they would be willing to let AI handle or assist with some of their shopping tasks."

"Bringing AI into a retailer's business could mean using models they already have access to through partnerships with OpenAI, Google or Microsoft; implementing AI features from existing software vendors; or working with a newer AI startup. Often, retailers will do a mix of all of these, depending on the desired use case. Given how quickly AI has entered the collective consciousness, there has been more pressure on retailers to deploy AI features more quickly and experiment to see what works."

"The challenge is that the best solution can quickly shift, considering how rapidly technology is evolving, said Jason Goldberg, chief commerce strategy officer at Publicis Groupe. For example, he said that, historically, retailers may have spent 18 months searching for and rolling out an e-commerce platform. "It's exposing new problems that the old selection criteria and process are not sufficient for," Goldberg said."

Consumers express strong interest in retailer-provided AI tools and assistance during shopping, with surveys showing majority support and substantial occasional use. Retailers can adopt AI via large-model partnerships, existing software vendors adding AI features, or collaborations with newer AI startups, often combining approaches by use case. Rapid AI emergence creates pressure to deploy and experiment quickly while maintaining due diligence because AI can be complex and costly. The pace of change shortens vendor selection timelines and exposes gaps in traditional selection criteria and processes. Retail technology leaders are actively discussing strategies to adapt to this accelerated environment.

Read at Digiday