"A 2025 LinkedIn study found that 80% of C-suite executives believe AI adoption is important and will foster a more innovative workplace culture. Gartner reported in December 2025 that 65% of employees said they are excited to use AI at work. The trend suggests a convergence of three priorities: Management fears their companies will fall behind if they don't adopt AI and automation; Employees use AI because it makes their jobs easier, and the knowledge gained is an important career skill; The cost of off-the-shelf software and development makes AI an attractive alternative."
"I interacted with a business in the northwest U.S. that gave nearly every employee access to premium accounts with OpenAI, Gemini, and the workflow automation platform n8n. Management encouraged employees to tackle problems with AI. I reviewed examples and found the staff had built a simple n8n-driven tool to monitor competitors' prices. It gathered prices, used an AI agent to compare them against its own data, and added them to a Google Sheet each week."
Ecommerce companies are embracing a DIY culture centered on AI and automation, encouraging employees to experiment and solve problems independently. This shift reflects three converging priorities: management concerns about competitive disadvantage without AI adoption, employee eagerness to use AI tools that simplify their work and build career skills, and the cost-effectiveness of AI compared to traditional software development. Companies are providing employees with access to premium AI platforms like OpenAI and Gemini, along with workflow automation tools such as n8n. Real-world examples demonstrate practical applications, such as automated competitor price monitoring systems built by staff members. This renaissance of DIY innovation mirrors the ecommerce industry's early entrepreneurial spirit, with organizations adopting a test-and-see approach to problem-solving.
Read at Practical Ecommerce
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