More than half (52%) of shoppers think artificial intelligence has improved their retail experiences — up from just 40% in 2023. That’s according to new research from SAP Emarsys, launched today alongside its new ‘AI Product Finder’ tool.
The new research, which surveyed over 2,000 UK consumers and 250 UK marketers, found that 33% of consumers believe AI has made shopping easier (up from 26% in 2023). Nearly a third (29%) also feel that AI is helping to make their retail experiences more personal (up from 22%), while 35% say AI helps them to find new products (up from 26%).
As a result of these benefits, just 20% of shoppers now oppose greater integration of AI into retail — a major boost in consumer demand.
But it’s not just shoppers who benefit. Nearly three quarters of UK marketers (69%) have increased their investment in artificial intelligence in 2024. Of these, 50% attribute a boost in customer engagement to AI, while another 50% report a boost in customer loyalty.
Recognizing the demand for AI-powered retail, SAP Emarsys today announced a pilot for its new AI Product Finder tool. Alongside its AI Subject Line Generator, this marks the beginning of a series of new AI-powered solutions.
The AI Product Finder will enable intuitive search of a brand’s extensive product catalogue, allowing marketers and retailers to quickly locate and incorporate the most suitable products into their campaigns. Provided as an out-of-the-box solution for email marketing campaigns, the new Product Finder is designed to revolutionize how marketers find and recommend relevant products.
With Generative AI now taking centre stage across many industries, SAP Emarsys is reaffirming its decade-long AI heritage through the announcement of new AI tools designed to empower marketers and new industry-leading research into AI. As CEO Joanna Milliken explains, “We are committed to a relevant, reliable, and responsible approach to AI, which is giving marketers the freedom to innovate and re-imagine what is possible in this new era of marketing. By infusing AI into everything we do, SAP Emarsys will help our customers save time and effort on complex tasks, so they can focus on ROI and delighting their customers.”
SAP Emarsys has also reaffirmed its commitment to the EU AI Act, with Joanna Milliken commenting, “Customer privacy and trust are at the heart of all our AI developments. In our latest AI focus group, several leading brands outlined their concerns about data use and AI in marketing. Our continued research shows consumers and marketers have similar concerns. SAP Emarsys has responded with our commitment to uphold the highest standards of effective, efficient data privacy and voice our support for the EU AI Act.”
SAP Emarsys is now a fully AI-first business, giving over 1,500 global customers, such as, Gibson Brands Inc, Puma, and Brand Alley a competitive edge by driving true customer loyalty through AI-powered omnichannel personalization.
To find out more about SAP Emarsys’ AI Product Finder and commitment to AI, sign up to the upcoming SAP Emarsys Omnichannel Masterclass on 12th and 13th June by visiting here.
