The retail industry is at a turning point. Consumers expect more personalization, more transparency, and more relevance – across all channels. The latest Adobe report, "2025 AI and Digital Trends for Retail," shows that the industry is investing heavily in AI, content automation, and data-driven strategies to meet these expectations.
Those who invest now in AI, scalable content production and data strategy can not only keep up, but actively shape the future of commerce.
1. Create consistent experiences – build trust
The biggest gap in retail is between expectation and reality. 75% of consumers want a consistent experience across websites, apps, emails, social media, and in-store – but only 41% of brands deliver. At the same time, 87% expect their data to be handled responsibly, yet only 46% feel their data is being handled responsibly.
Suggestion: Retailers must design seamless customer journeys across all channels and communicate transparently how AI and data are used. Trust is not a nice-to-have, but a competitive advantage – especially in a time when data privacy and AI ethics are increasingly in focus.
2. Use AI strategically – scale personalization
Market leaders are leveraging AI to create data-driven, consistent experiences across all channels – setting the pace for innovation and growth. The tactical priorities retailers are setting for 2025 demonstrate that personalization is becoming a scalable core strategy – not an isolated measure.
Results:
• 51% rely on personalized promotions based on customer data.
• 45% prioritize personalized website and app content in real time.
• 43% rely on automated content creation for greater relevance and speed.
Suggestion: Retailers should use AI not just to react, but to anticipate – and reach customers with relevant offers precisely when it matters. Those who strategically integrate AI can orchestrate cross-channel campaigns and sustainably improve the customer experience.
3. Connect data – leverage insights
Personalization begins with data. But fragmented systems and silos are holding many retailers back. 41% say they can't deliver real-time personalization because of them. It's about intelligently connecting data to meet rising customer expectations for a consistent and personalized experience.
Some companies are planning and already using generative AI to improve data-driven insights and optimize the customer experience in 2025.
Results:
• 46% of retailers are focusing on personalized experiences that react to customer behavior in real time.
• 48% plan to use AI for improved product recommendations.
• 49% of retailers are relying on AI for 2025 to better understand customer behavior across all channels.
Suggestion: A strong data foundation is crucial. Retailers should consolidate customer data, process it faster, and transform it into actionable insights using AI – for decisions that are not only faster but also more relevant.
4. Scale content – ensure relevance
Retailers are investing heavily in personalization and data-driven strategies – but content production often can't keep up. Creative teams can currently only meet around 55% of content demand across all touchpoints. At the same time, the pressure is mounting: 47% of retailers are aiming to increase conversions, while 43% need to deliver more content across more channels.
Generative AI is increasingly being used to create content faster, more consistently, and in a more targeted way. 45% of retailers already use it for product descriptions, 42% for marketing copy, and 40% for content variations for different target groups.
Suggestion: Scalable content production is crucial for enabling personalized, real-time experiences. Retailers should invest in AI-powered workflows that not only create content but also automatically categorize, adapt, and deliver it – for greater relevance, efficiency, and impact.
And finally ... Those who build trust, strategically deploy AI, intelligently utilize data, and agilely scale content will not only meet expectations in 2025 but set new standards. Retailers who quickly connect, personalize, and optimize customer experiences—with smart AI and data-driven strategies—are better positioned to achieve long-term customer loyalty and sustainable growth.
The future of commerce is data-driven, personalized, transparent – and it starts now.
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