£3.7billion of UK retail marketing and ecommerce spend is set to be reshaped by artificial intelligence (AI) by the end of the decade, new figures from Voyado and Retail Economics predict.

Their report, which polled 300 European marketing and ecommerce leaders, revealed that rapid AI adoption will place two fifths of marketing and digital expenditure at risk of AI disruption by 2030.

Currently, a third (32%) of marketing and ecommerce tasks are supported, augmented or partially automated by AI. This means there is significant headroom for the technology to further change operations within these functions, especially when a quarter of retailers are currently only in the exploration or pilot phases of their AI journeys.

“We’re still very early in the journey and the AI we’re using today is likely the least impressive version we’ll ever see,” said Felix Kruth, Chief Product Officer at Voyado.

“Generative AI has already delivered significant efficiency gains, but it’s agentic AI, built on the right data foundations, that will prove real commercial value.”

AI maturity

Whilst there is still headroom for AI to disrupt marketing and digital functions, most retailers are already on the path to AI maturity.

Almost half (45%) say they have now reached an operational stage where AI is embedded into multiple workflows and begins to influence how their teams work day-to-day.

A further 25% of retailers report that AI is embedded at a strategic level, shaping planning, prioritisation and execution across functions rather than isolated or siloed use cases.
 
Yet, ROI remains a challenge; just 5% of retailers say AI is currently delivering clear, scalable returns, with the majority expecting meaningful commercial impact to be between 12- 18months away.

“The next two years represent an inflection point as AI shifts from experimentation to competitive necessity,” Richard Lim, CEO at Retail Economics, added.

“Retailers are on a journey, and while most have begun testing and deploying AI, few have reached a stage where it is delivering consistent commercial returns.”

The report warns that retailers face a “narrowing window for action”, suggesting that retail businesses have two years to act on AI before falling behind, as the technology moves from experimentation to everyday operational reality.