AI maturity in product data management boosts revenue & trust

Research from Inriver reveals that the majority of companies have moved beyond the pilot phase in deploying artificial intelligence (AI) for Product Information Management (PIM), with almost all surveyed executives indicating mature adoption and tangible business impact.

AI adoption beyond pilots

A new global report from Inriver, drawing on insights from 317 product, marketing and technology executives, indicates that 97% of respondents have advanced past AI pilot programmes and are embedding AI across their product content workflows. The data suggest that AI utilisation has reached a point where it is considered integral for digital commerce operations, with widespread deployment across retail and branded manufacturers.

According to the findings, 83% of companies have integrated AI into multiple systems and workflows to manage product information, and 87% report improved customer trust in the content derived through these processes. Over 80% have observed moderate to significant revenue gains attributed to AI implementation in PIM.

Operational approaches to AI

The study shows considerable variation in how companies approach the use of AI. Half of the organisations rely on structured human oversight for AI, while 24% adopt autonomous AI for targeted tasks. A further 26% combine automation with human checkpoints, indicating a spectrum of governance models across the sample.

Despite the high levels of AI integration, the report finds that governance and accountability remain key. Half of the companies continue to apply direct human oversight to AI-driven workflows. Additionally, 68% agree that customer trust is something that must be actively earned through these processes, rather than being passively assumed as technology is adopted.

"This research confirms what we see across our customer base every day: AI is no longer theoretical. It is embedded into how organizations connect, scale, and optimize product data across their ecosystems," said Rohit Goyal, CEO of Inriver. "But adoption is not the same as success. AI's real power isn't novelty—it's momentum for our customers. Our customers are weaving intelligent agents into workflows, expanding syndication, and pairing every decision with digital-shelf insight. They're launching products faster and earning trust at every touchpoint. What sets them apart is not just their use of AI for operational efficiency, but how deliberately they apply it to drive trust and measurable impact."

Growth in customer trust

The Inriver research records a clear relationship between responsible use of AI in PIM and rising levels of customer trust. Of those surveyed, 87% reported increased customer trust in their product content since deploying AI, with gains noted in both customer engagement and satisfaction. Brands are not just leveraging AI to generate content, but also for structured data enhancement, validation and analytics, all of which contribute to producing more consistent experiences for customers.

Though indirect measures such as Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores are still the most common tools for gauging trust (relied upon by 68% of respondents), a shift is underway. The report notes that future developments in AI will be characterised by more outcome-driven measures for evaluating AI's impact on customer relationships.

Regional and sector differences

The research highlights marked differences between geographic regions and industry sectors. U.S. companies tend to report higher adoption of autonomous AI, placing greater focus on operational efficiency. European companies, by contrast, are more likely to integrate AI with ongoing human oversight, reflecting more stringent governance requirements. The pace and style of integration also vary across sectors, with manufacturing and eCommerce generally ahead of retailers and distributors in adopting AI-powered PIM solutions.

Strategy and reality

The report also underscores the importance of alignment between strategy and day-to-day business requirements when introducing AI. Inriver has embedded its AI-powered assistant, Inspire, throughout its platform to automate and improve content onboarding, generation and distribution at scale.

"This is not a one-size-fits-all journey," added Goyal. "We are helping deliver these capabilities to our customers through continuous innovation. Inspire, Inriver's AI-powered assistant, is integrated throughout the product, working in the background to onboard, generate, and refine content and distribution at scale. Winning with AI means aligning strategy with your business realities. The goal is not perfection, but profitable growth, speed, and trust."

The report concludes that effective control over product data, connecting systems, and continuous optimisation with AI are fundamental for enterprise teams to meet changing expectations in digital commerce. By understanding and adapting to shifts in AI maturity, governance, and sectoral practice, companies can address complexity in their product information and support growth objectives.