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. This is all while still doing due diligence, as AI can be complex or costly."

"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. "CIOs are spending a lot of time talking to each other about how they're going to survive the new pace of change, and they're trying different thing""

Retailers face strong consumer demand for AI-driven shopping experiences, with surveys showing majority interest and current use of AI tools. Adoption options include using models via OpenAI, Google, or Microsoft partnerships, adding AI features from existing vendors, or working with AI startups, often in combination. Rapid AI adoption pressures retailers to accelerate deployments and experiments while maintaining due diligence because AI can be complex and costly. The fast pace of technological change makes the best solutions shift quickly, prompting CIOs and commerce leaders to collaborate and reassess traditional, lengthy vendor selection processes.

Read at Digiday