Generative artificial intelligence has arrived overwhelmingly, sparking curiosity, generating doubts, and in many cases, provoking fears. For those working in retail and e-commerce, the challenge is even greater: how to incorporate the technology into daily operations without compromising creativity, strategy, or data security? The answer may lie precisely in understanding AI not as a threat but as a powerful ally, capable of optimizing operational tasks, accelerating processes, and supporting smarter decisions.
Next, five practical ways to use this technology in e-commerce efficiently and fearlessly, valuing its best aspects without relinquishing the human perspective that drives business.
1 – Using AI as a “super intern,” not as an enemy
AI doesn’t need to be seen as a threat. On the contrary, we should imagine it as a “super intern”—one who works quickly, with energy to spare, and is always available.
It can automate operational tasks, organize information, draft campaigns, suggest product descriptions, generate insights based on trends—all in a matter of seconds. This allows you to save time to focus on what truly matters: thinking strategically, making data-driven decisions, and investing more in creativity.
2 – Testing is part of the adoption curve
No one was born knowing how to use artificial intelligence, and you don’t need to master everything to get started. You can experiment with tools in your daily work, even if cautiously or discreetly, as many professionals and leaders already do. The most important thing is to take the first steps: test a prompt, generate an idea, ask for a suggestion. If it works, great. If not, it serves as a learning experience for the next attempt. Just as happened with other transformative technologies, like social media or email automation, AI also requires an adaptation period. In this early stage, curiosity and humility matter more than perfection.
3 – Validating everything is essential
AI is great for speed, but it doesn’t replace critical judgment. It can generate text, campaign ideas, copy suggestions, and even layout variations. But the responsibility for the final delivery remains human. This means it’s always necessary to review, adjust, and validate. Experience, knowledge of the audience, the brand, and the sales channel remain crucial. Artificial intelligence provides a starting point, but quality and true relevance emerge only when critical analysis and the human touch come into play.
4 – Enhancing campaigns: data + AI = intelligent segmentation
The combination of business data and artificial intelligence can boost digital marketing campaigns. Based on purchase profiles, browsing behavior, and feedback, AI generates segmentation suggestions, ad ideas, text variations, and even behavior predictions. In retail, this proves especially useful in Retail Media strategies, with ads displayed within sales platforms themselves, such as marketplaces. The technology allows identifying performance bottlenecks in real time, testing personalized approaches for specific niches, and adjusting campaigns more swiftly. The more quality information provided to AI, the better the results tend to be.
5 – Creativity doesn’t die with AI—it multiplies
AI doesn’t replace creative vision but expands possibilities. It allows testing new approaches more swiftly, generating content variations for different audiences, and visualizing ideas that might not arise spontaneously. It’s also possible to turn abstract concepts into images, drafts, or prototypes with just a few commands. The key lies in knowing what to ask and how to interpret what’s generated—something that requires experience, clarity of objectives, and human sensibility, qualities no technology, no matter how advanced, can fully replicate.
