Nearly all retailers have now implemented AI, but many are still waiting to see business value

Date:
Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:52:09 +0000

Description:
Despite widespread AI adoption, retailers are split 50:50 on their AI ROI as legacy tech and poor data quality hold them back.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter 97% have implemented AI, but
47% are waiting for meaningful AI ROI to be realized 79% say key operation decisions still require manual intervention AI could seriously help Q4 shopping habits New research has claimed even though nearly all (97%) retailers have implemented AI in some form, more than two-thirds (69%) say they only respond to operational problems after those issues have already affected commercial performance, implying that most aren't planning ahead.

As a result, nearly half (47%) are still waiting to see measurable returns on investment from their AI spend, the report from UiPath found. This comes as many struggle with the same challenges that have plagued AI adoption for years, with 42% still struggling with poor data visibility. Latest Videos
From Watch full video here: AI adoption is high, ROI is low A third (35%) of UK retail leaders even continue to blame legacy technology for slowing them down, despite years of studies and reports implying that complex tech stacks and poor data quality are among the biggest blockers to successful AI.
Delayed decision-making and inventory inaccuracies also contribute to delayed and unsuccessful AI rollouts.

Poor tech even extends to inefficiencies today, with four in five (79%) retailers saying most, almost all or all key operation decisions still
require manual intervention, slowing response times and limiting AI's realistic impact. You may like Many business leaders admit they only have a 'limited understanding' of AI budgets Experts warn UK firms want to keep spending on AI - even without clear ROI New KPMG report claims firms are "racing" to deploy AI

"Often, businesses blame supply chain disruption when the real problem is
that theyre making decisions with incomplete or outdated information," Retail Director Catherine Frame wrote.

UiPath says the companies that will see the most success with AI will be the ones who achieve "operational excellence," rather than the ones that blindly invest in AI. In other words, the same solid data and tech foundations that reports have been calling for for years. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me
with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Looking ahead, margin protection looks to be one of the biggest commercial risks as we enter the final quarter of the year, and the biggest one for commerce while companies will struggle to achieve "operational excellence" and effective AI by then, it certainly highlights a major area where AI could support. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/nearly-all-retailers-have-now-implemented-ai-but -many-are-still-waiting-to-see-business-value


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)