Too Much AI. Too Little ROI.
If AI is so powerful, why is ROI so hard?
In our last Perspective, we argued that AI is changing the economics of commerce.
As execution becomes faster, cheaper and more accessible, competitive advantage shifts away from implementation and toward judgement.
That raises an obvious question: if AI is becoming so advantageous, why is meaningful ROI still proving so difficult to achieve?
The issue isn’t the technology.
Recent industry research points to a consistent pattern. The Fuel AI Readiness Report suggests organizations are moving beyond experimentation and are now under increasing pressure to demonstrate measurable business outcomes. Similarly, Zaelab, referencing research from the RAND Corporation, notes that more than 80% of enterprise AI initiatives fail to deliver their intended business value.
The issue isn’t enthusiasm, and it isn’t the technology. It is consistently translating AI investment into commercial return.
Dozens of opportunities. Which one first?
Most established merchants don’t have a single business problem waiting to be solved; they have dozens of opportunities competing for attention—some obvious, others hidden beneath years of customer, commerce, and operational data.
Improve search with Algolia AI.
Increase retention through Klaviyo AI.
Enhance customer support with Gorgias AI.
Personalize merchandising with Nosto.
Optimize pricing, demand forecasting, or product content.
Or uncover an opportunity that isn’t even on today’s roadmap.
Every initiative has potential.
The real challenge lies in identifying the ones with the highest probability of creating meaningful business value, and having the confidence to prioritize them.
We believe that’s where Commerce Intelligence comes in.
Not as another AI platform.
As a discipline that helps merchants identify, evaluate, and prioritize commercial opportunities before significant investments in technology, delivery, and organizational change begin.
It shifts the conversation from: “What can AI do?” to “How can merchants get more from every commerce investment?”
In our next Perspective, we’ll explore what that shift looks like in practice.
We know AI is becoming easier to implement – helping merchants get more from every commerce investment is becoming the next measure of Shopify expertise.
“The challenge isn’t adopting more AI. It’s making better investment decisions.”
Further Reading
Fuel, eCom Fuel Report — Explores the shift from AI experimentation toward measurable business outcomes and organizational readiness.
Zaelab, The Cost of Moving Fast in the Wrong Direction: Why 80% of AI Initiatives Fail (June 25, 2026) — Examines why enterprise AI initiatives often fail to deliver ROI and argues for defining business outcomes before selecting technology.
