According to Shopify research, more Aussie retailers are embracing the power of AI and automation to boost productivity and efficiency.
A significant number of Australian retailers (44%) are either investing in or planning to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, according to recent research conducted by Shopify.
These technologies are being employed for various purposes, with the top five use cases being: improving employee experience, enhancing the customer online experience, predictive analytics, handling customer service inquiries, and content creation.
Australian businesses are implementing automation and AI in areas that consume more resources than necessary.
According to Shopify research, Almost two-thirds (64%) of retailers plan to utilise automation technology to enhance employee experience and manage lower-value tasks.
Furthermore, 40% of retailers are looking to adopt AI and automation in the next year to assist them in handling customer service inquiries, while 32% are considering these technologies for improving logistics and delivery processes.
To tackle this demand and accelerate the innovative AI opportunities for retailers today, Tobi Lütke, Shopify Founder and CEO, provided insight into some of the AI product offerings that Shopify is working on.
One of these offerings is Sidekick, a natural language interface designed to make every user a power user. With Sidekick, merchants have an AI-powered digital assistant that will do everything from administrative work to complex creative tasks.
As the first AI-enabled commerce assistant, Shopify says Sidekick allows entrepreneurs to harness the power of AI to increase productivity, improve workflows, make smarter decisions, and dedicate more time to growing their businesses.
Sidekick can comprehend and interpret questions or prompts, enabling business owners to generate new ideas or accomplish tasks using regular, everyday language.
James Johnson, Director of Technology Services & Enterprise, APAC at Shopify, says: “We’ve only just scratched the surface on AI’s real-world application for small businesses and entrepreneurs.”
“As entrepreneurs face new challenges everyday, often alone, doing more with less is critical to success and AI technology has the power to increase productivity, improve workflows and make smarter decisions without the need for a technical skillset.”
“This kind of innovation is set to revolutionise what it means to run a small business, and support Australian retailers to get ahead,” says Johnson.
Vincent Lebon, Shopify Merchant Vincent, Founder, CEO, and Designer, from Rollie Nation, says: “I see AI as revolutionary as the internet. I think AI is going to play a huge, huge role in the future, whether that's through material science, design, helping make more informed decisions and prediction analysis.”
“I think, right now, people are looking at operational efficiencies, and that's a very surface level aspect of what AI is going to provide.”
This unveiling marks the introduction of a new suite of AI tools offered by Shopify.
On July 26th, Shopify will announce its 2023 Summer Editions, with the brand stating it will unlock unprecedented capabilities for its merchants. These advancements aim to boost creativity and productivity among entrepreneurs, empowering them to scale their businesses while saving time and streamlining operations.