AI in Commerce: Balancing Personalization and Automation

Gary Drenik's Forbes articles from the week ending March 23, 2025 explore the increasing integration of artificial intelligence in retail, particularly within social commerce and on platforms like Amazon. One article discusses the paradox of personalization, where consumers desire tailored experiences but harbor concerns about data privacy and AI overuse. It emphasizes the need for transparency and a balance between AI-driven efficiency and human oversight to build consumer trust. The other article highlights the rapid adoption of AI by Amazon and Walmart shoppers, as well as the growing trend of brands utilizing "agentic AI" to automate advertising and enhance commerce operations. Both pieces underscore the importance of a strategic and balanced approach to AI implementation to optimize both customer experience and business outcomes in the evolving retail landscape.