Practical AI gives US retailers what they want “less chat, more action”

AI continues to dominate retail conversations around customer experience (CX), and with good reason. Emerging capabilities like Agentic Commerce are set to transform how Americans shop online. But while some brands are content to wait for the future, savvy US retailers are more interested in what AI can do for them now. 

Taking a pragmatic approach to AI

At Patchworks, we believe that what most retailers really want is “practical AI”. Not hype, but hands-on solutions that solve real-world challenges and remove unnecessary cost and complexity for them and their partners.

Our Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) is already helping US retailers like Goodyear, ISG, SoldThrough and Gymshark streamline operations and reduce friction across their tech stacks. Now, we’re extending that impact with AI-powered tools designed to turn operational challenges into competitive advantages.

Removing the heavy lifting and delivering intelligence at scale

Tools like our AI Script Builder and MCP Server are built to make AI work harder for enterprise retailers, simplifying complex integrations, resolving data issues, and optimizing backend processes as their businesses scale.

• Patchworks AI Script Builder
  
  Dev teams can spend hours manually translating essential workflows like EDI 850 purchase orders into Shopify, ERPs, and other formats.  With our AI Script Builder they can finally automate these complex messaging processes. Just describe what you want to do in natural language, and it generates ready-to-use code in your chosen software language, including handling keys, values, and payloads. This can save hours of developer time each day, while leading to fewer manual errors and more consistent, reliable data across platforms. 
  
  
• Patchworks MCP Server
  
  For US enterprise retailers and commerce brands, single-use AI tools are no longer enough. They want connected, scalable AI toolkits that integrate seamlessly across their entire tech stack.  Patchworks Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server makes this possible by effortlessly connecting to Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, or Google Gemini.  Using natural language commands, teams can troubleshoot issues, identify failed orders, and locate sync errors, without digging through logs or relying on developer intervention.  

To illustrate the benefits, one of our merchant customers encountered a complex data issue that would normally take its dev team hours to untangle. Powered by Patchworks AI-tools they were able to automatically combine and reconcile multiple data sources, to pinpoint the root cause and resolve the problem, all without manual input.

Paving the way for Agentic Commerce

Looking ahead, the next major shift in retail is about AI acting on behalf of the customer, anticipating needs and making buying decisions autonomously. This is what’s known as Agentic Commerce.

Imagine ChatGPT spotting a gala dinner in your calendar and recommending a black-tie outfit before you’ve even started planning. Or, if you’re a runner, hitting 400 miles on your shoes and receiving an automated prompt to reorder your favorite pair, no search or clicks required.

Digital agents such as OpenAI’s Operator,  are making this vision a reality. Unlike traditional chat bots, it understands intent, acts, and completes entire shopping tasks on its own. It can browse sites, compare products, and place orders without step-by-step input from the user.

Appetite for AI services are already gaining ground with US consumers

• 34% say they’d let AI make purchases on their behalf
• 60% expect to use AI shopping agents within the next year
• 75% of US consumers engage with an AI product or tool on a weekly or daily basis

Commerce platforms already have skin in the game

AI will continue to dominate retail investment especially as more ecommerce platforms begin to offer tools that help US merchants plug into AI channels. 

Leading commerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce are already using AI tools to aid webstore development and building native support for AI-driven sales workflows.

Having the right foundation for success

To fully capitalize on the AI momentum, retailers need a modern, intelligent backend. One that can securely connect operational systems like inventory, order data, and customer records to AI in a structured and reliable way.

A flexible integration layer like Patchworks iPaaS can accelerate this transformation. With the right foundations in place, launching an AI-powered shopping channel, such as one powered by ChatGPT, could take as little as two weeks. But for retailers still relying on legacy or fragmented systems, keeping pace with this shift will be significantly harder.

For winning brands AI is not a threat, it’s as a new channel
AI is an opportunity to explore, engage, and expand. Those who embrace it now will be the ones shaping the shopping experiences of tomorrow.

At Patchworks, we're helping US merchants move beyond the buzzwords with practical AI that delivers real results from streamlined operations to scalable innovation.

Ready to make AI work harder for your retail business? Let’s talk.