Every brand manufacturer is talking about AI. Far fewer can point to measurable commercial value from it. That gap sits at the heart of the AI in Digital Commerce benchmark from Digital Commerce Global (DCG). In the session below, Gregor Murray, Co-Founder and Chief 'So What' Officer at DCG, presents the early findings, hosted by Francis Nicholas, VP at eStoreBrands.
Watch the highlights reel here:
Watch the full webinar here:
The benchmark gathered responses from global FMCG and CPG manufacturers across markets and categories, with DCG's full industry report to follow. This session offers an early view of the findings. A few of the themes Gregor explores are below, and the full detail, including the benchmark data behind each one, is in the recording above.
Why is activity outpacing direction?
The benchmark found AI everywhere in manufacturer conversations but far less present in plans. Governance is largely in place, and most organisations have set AI priorities, but ownership, measurement and the discipline to turn insight into action lag well behind. The encouraging flipside, in Gregor's words:
Nobody is really streaking away when it comes to AI implementation, activation or derived value. Everybody is still very much in the same camp.
The organisations that put foundations in place now are the ones positioned to benefit later.
Why is data the biggest barrier to AI success?
The line Gregor asks every viewer to take away:
You cannot AI your way out of a data problem.
AI does not fix poorly structured, untraceable or untrusted data. It amplifies the problem, faster. Most manufacturers know this, yet many are layering AI on top rather than doing the less glamorous foundational work first.
Where does AI create value next?
Content was the first wave, and for good reason: it is visible, fast and easy to pilot. But after two decades of efficiency drives, the efficiency well is close to tapped out. The next battlefield is commercial: pricing, forecasting, promotional analysis, retailer prioritisation and the decisions that shape demand. The benchmark shows capability leaders are already moving there, and the gap they open may prove hard to close.
Is the industry ready for agentic commerce?
Nobody yet knows how big agentic commerce will be. What the benchmark does show is that readiness is low across the board, and that the capabilities agentic commerce will reward are the same ones that make brands good at digital commerce today: structured, trustworthy, machine-readable product data. The session closes with six questions every manufacturer should be asking, starting with whether an AI agent could accurately understand, compare and recommend your products today.
Watch the full session
The recording above covers all ten insights from the benchmark, DCG's recommendations, and an audience Q&A on where manufacturers are finding commercial value. If you would like to discuss how your digital shelf data supports the decisions covered in this session, get in touch and we can arrange a conversation with our team or with DCG.
