Research commissioned by monday.com and carried out by Censuswide in June surveyed about 500 retail leaders in the UK and found that 99% of retailers are leveraging some form of Artificial Intelligence within their business. The report says smaller retailers, particularly those in out-of-town retail parks and malls, are using Artificial Intelligence for dynamic pricing, personalised marketing and improved supply chain visibility, with 88% of respondents believing these technologies help small retailers compete with larger chains. monday.com did not provide a full report or the non-UK data it collected to Enterprise Times.
The findings indicate that Artificial Intelligence is generally used in a supportive role rather than operating autonomously. While 99% use Artificial Intelligence for decision-making support, only 8% said Artificial Intelligence makes key business decisions autonomously. Thirty-six percent reported that Artificial Intelligence provides insights, and 49% said it cannot manage the entire customer journey end to end. Organisations are investing in leadership for Artificial Intelligence, with 61% reporting dedicated leaders such as a chief Artificial Intelligence officer. Adoption in customer-facing and operational areas is rising: 55% use Artificial Intelligence agents for customer service, 49% apply them to boost operational efficiency, 48% support marketing and content creation, and 51% expect Artificial Intelligence agents to manage most customer interactions within five years. A third of organisations are implementing agents now, and 90% are actively exploring them.
Barriers to wider adoption persist. Respondents identified top challenges as output quality and consistency across systems (54%), privacy concerns, particularly in social commerce (45%), and integration with existing systems (44%), with 42% worried about alienating customers. Overall, 97% of those adopting Artificial Intelligence faced challenges, including cost (45%) and employee resistance to change (45%). The survey also found expectations that Artificial Intelligence will drive benefits: 74% expect more personalised experiences, 73% say generative Artificial Intelligence and chatbots handle most basic customer requests, and 72% believe Artificial Intelligence will improve supply-chain transparency. Ben Barnett, regional VP for UKI at monday.com, said retailers are using Artificial Intelligence today to streamline existing processes and support workers, emphasising the value of integration and clear use rather than piling on tools. The article notes that without a fuller report with commentary and analysis, many questions remain about how retailers deploy Artificial Intelligence and the tangible benefits for businesses and customers.
