The renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries marked the cultural transition from the Middle Ages to modern thinking, empowering a societal and scientific revolution. The printing press was created, and the father of accounting and modern commerce, Luca Pacioli, published the first and one of the most important theses on bookkeeping.
Today we’re in the midst of another renaissance, this time powered by AI. It’s redefining what’s possible, especially in commerce.
Retailers now have the creative tools at their fingertips to help them design their stores, connect with shoppers, and reshape their entire business online and offline – all with just a few words. Getting onboard with AI is now a crucial differentiator in success.
AI Is already shaping the future of commerce
According to recent data, half (49%) of shoppers think AI will make their shopping experience better, and 48% think it will help them save money. Consumers are rapidly adopting AI. Now, merchants must follow suit.
AI is no longer a speculative idea in the world of commerce. It is already actively influencing consumer behaviour. One in three UK shoppers (36%) have purchased more from brands that offer AI-powered, personalised recommendations. It’s a sign that they expect merchants to know them, and they’re prepared to reward that through spending.
Behind the scenes, AI enables merchants to completely reshape their business from the ground up. Generating content at scale, automating product imagery, targeting customer segments, and optimising performance across platforms are just some of the ways AI tools can take the admin away and help merchants focus on innovating.
But while AI’s influence is growing, trust remains a vital cornerstone. Consumers want convenience, but not at the expense of connection. Two thirds of shoppers globally (64%) remain wary of AI, and 73% say buying from a person still matters.
Combined, it paints a picture of challenge and opportunity for modern brands. Shoppers are open to AI-powered experiences, but they expect transparency, control, and a human safety net. Businesses that strike this balance will win both sales and long-term loyalty, building trust and comfort as shoppers experiment with new tools. Consumers must know when AI is in play, be able to opt out, and always have access to real human support when it matters most.
Unified Commerce: the foundations for AI’s renaissance
AI doesn’t work in isolation. To deliver its full potential, it must be deployed across a unified commerce stack that connects online and offline experiences, centralises data, and allows technology to work as one intelligent system.
After all, the printing press didn’t operate in a vacuum – it connected knowledge, accelerated learning and unified systems of thought. AI needs a similarly connected foundation today.
Consumers are already living in this world. This holiday shopping season, over a third of consumers (37%) intend to evenly split their shopping across online and offline – highlighting the importance for brands to offer a seamless experience across touchpoints. AI helps power that consistency across surfaces, but only if it’s layered across the full customer journey from browsing and checkout to fulfilment and returns.
Merchants that consolidate their operations around a single source of data and customer insight will unlock the most value from AI and create the most consistent, future-ready experience for their shoppers.
Taking this one step further, we are seeing Agentic Commerce becoming increasingly mainstream in the shopping landscape. Almost two thirds (64%) of shoppers globally said they’re likely to use AI for at least one part of their purchasing, from searching for deals (29%) to finding inspiration and new products (20%). There is an opportunity here for retailers to integrate features such as AI-driven search within their stores in order to optimise and evolve how consumers find products.
From AI adoption to AI orchestration
The current era of AI in commerce has already evolved at a rapid pace, and the next phase is arriving equally as fast. There’s going to be a shift from adoption to orchestration. Where AI previously centred on task execution, such as writing a product description or addressing customer segments, merchants will soon be able to issue declarative commands that AI autonomously fulfils.
Imagine telling your platform: “Raise margins on trainers without denting conversion”, and AI executes the mix of pricing, merchandising, and media. This is the concept of declarative commerce and represents a shift from task automation to outcome intelligence.
Through this shift, AI becomes an orchestration layer across the entire business rather than just a tool used in isolation. This won’t simply be steps such as improving the mechanics of commerce, rather a complete redefinition of how a business is run.
Commerce’s new enlightenment is here
We’re living through a modern printing press moment; an AI-driven renaissance that’s transforming commerce. Those merchants who embrace AI as a creative partner and not just a backend tool will lead the way in reshaping what’s possible for their business and their customers.
When used thoughtfully, built upon intelligent foundations and combined with trust and personal connection, AI amplifies creativity, unlocks efficiency, and puts merchants in control of their own transformation.
The tools are here; the consumers are ready; the stage is set. Now is the time for merchants to lead the next revolution in commerce.
