In Amperity’s new research, the 2025 State of AI in Retail report, we surveyed 1,000 U.S. retail leaders and professionals to uncover how AI is reshaping customer data, marketing, and the customer journey — and why most brands are still struggling to unlock its full potential for enhancing customer experiences.

What you’ll find inside:

AI is widespread, but not yet strategic: 45% of retailers use AI weekly or more, but only 11% say they’re ready to scale it across the business.

Agentic commerce is one of those things: One day it’s on the periphery of your awareness and then, overnight, it’s everywhere all at once. Of course, that doesn’t just happen. It could have something to do with the fact that in relatively rapid succession OpenAI, Mastercard, Visa, Walmart, Google, Amazon and PayPal with Perplexity announced agentic AI initiatives or enhancements.

And while there has been a lot of talk, it’s been more than just talk. There’s substance: The announcements by some of the world’s biggest companies in commerce and payments have provided a peek into what’s to come — and likely sooner rather than later.

As AI agents become central to customer experience strategies, leaders are bombarded with demos that promise the same results: better efficiency, lower costs, and happier customers. But with the growing number of vendors offering voice and chat AI solutions, evaluating them effectively can be overwhelming. Demos often showcase best-case scenarios, yet what truly matters is how these systems perform in real-world conditions with your customers, systems, and service expectations.

Looking for AI to give your business the competitive edge? This report reveals why artificial intelligence and generative AI are your key to success: Personalize customer journeys (drive loyalty and exceed expectations with AI-powered recommendations), remove operational hurdles (overcome talent gaps and technical challenges with proven strategies), scale with confidence (transform customer data into actionable insights to boost revenue).

AI in customer experience isn’t just about support tickets and call scripts anymore. Its authentic, personalized interactions can help save customers time and help them feel truly understood. Picture this: A virtual stylist that curates outfits and uses a virtual try-on to show you how they’d look on you —no dressing room required. A healthcare-focused generative AI assistant that summarizes complex data and automates regulatory submissions, accelerating review times.

Cut through the noise and create content that truly connects. This guide breaks down how marketers can go to market faster, deliver better customer experiences, and scale efficiently—while balancing creativity with brand consistency. Learn which tools can help you achieve these goals and drive real impact.

As a marketer, you already know first-party data, or customer records, is critical to your brand’s success. But did you know your first-party data is key to unlocking true business value – from more accurate campaign reach to developing high-impact audiences and segmentation to driving more personalized experiences?

Check out our Marketer’s First-Party Data Playbook to:

Explore six strategies for reaching more audiences with hyper-personalized content

To stay competitive in today’s evolving marketplace, businesses must look beyond traditional customer satisfaction (CSAT) metrics and prioritize customer experience (CX) as a catalyst for brand growth. Research shows that experiences contribute more to brand strength than advertising alone. Brands that achieve sustainable growth and pricing power are those that strike the right balance between meaningful relevance and distinctive difference, a dynamic seen in the contrasting strategies of companies like Starbucks and ALDI.