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."

Surveys show substantial consumer interest in retailer AI: 58% of 1,040 U.S. consumers want retailers to use AI to improve shopping, almost 75% already use AI tools occasionally, and 56% of millennials would let AI assist shopping tasks. Retailers can deploy AI via partner models (OpenAI, Google, Microsoft), built-in vendor features, or startups, often combining approaches per use case. Rapid AI emergence pressures faster experimentation and deployment while requiring due diligence because AI can be complex and costly. CIOs and commerce leaders are reassessing selection criteria and strategies as solution landscapes shift quickly compared with historical platform rollouts.

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