Ecommerce is at an inflection point. The rise of the AI-native consumer isn’t just changing how people shop. It’s redefining the expectations for the systems engineers and developers need to build.
A recent Klaviyo survey of 3,000 consumers shows that shoppers are moving quickly from experimenting with AI to relying on it as a trusted part of their journey. In fact, in the last 3 months, 81% of consumers have used AI tools for shopping or product research.
That shift means engineers have to think differently about how their contributions will shape the future of commerce and empower consumers.
Here are 4 trends every engineer should watch as the AI landscape continues to evolve.
1. From insights to autonomous actions
Consumers increasingly want AI to take action, not just provide answers. Nearly 9 in 10 say they’re open to AI handling reorders, shipment tracking, and escalations.
To meet this demand, systems must be designed for autonomy, with AI agents that can execute workflows, call APIs, and resolve tasks on their own. Reliability, reversibility, and observability will become essential so customers and businesses can trust every automated action.
2. Building for trust by default
Trust is becoming the differentiator. 40% of consumers say AI assistants improve their trust in a brand, with even higher numbers among Gen Z. But interactions that feel manipulative or opaque can quickly erode that trust.
This makes transparency, empathy, and intelligent handoff capabilities critical. Systems that can explain their decisions, protect data, and escalate to a human smoothly will stand out as consumers grow more reliant on AI-driven experiences.
3. AI as core infrastructure
Too often, AI gets bolted on as a chatbot or widget. But consumers want experiences that feel seamless end to end. They expect intelligence throughout the journey, from discovery to post-purchase support.
Engineers need to think of AI as part of the core stack. Event-driven pipelines, modular APIs, and composable architectures allow AI to function as an always-on layer that continuously optimizes, adapts, and enables personalization at scale.
4. Escalating expectations
Consumer expectations around AI are rising quickly. Today, people want help finding deals or saving time. By next year, they’ll expect AI to compare products and manage budgets. By 2030, they anticipate AI will predict what they need before they even shop.
That means systems need to be flexible and future-ready. Building for adaptability now ensures that as expectations climb, your infrastructure keeps pace without constant re-architecture.
Put trends into practice at ECOMHACK.AI
If you’re building for the future, ECOMHACK.AI is the place to experiment. October 13–17, 2025, Klaviyo is partnering with commercetools, Stripe, and Lovable to host a fully remote global hackathon. More than 1,000 developers, engineers, and builders will collaborate on prototypes that bring agentic AI into the heart of commerce.
“At Klaviyo, we’ve always believed that data is the foundation of creating great customer experiences, and AI is what makes those experiences smarter and more impactful,” says Giri Sreenivas, SVP of product at Klaviyo.
ECOMHACK.AI is a great opportunity to see what happens when you put those capabilities in the hands of a global community of builders,” Sreenivas adds. “With Klaviyo Data Platform and AI embedded across our platform, we’re excited to see how teams push the boundaries of what’s possible in commerce.
At ECOMHACK.AI, you’ll:
- Work hands-on with APIs and SDKs from leading commerce platforms.
- Prototype solutions that apply agentic AI to real-world ecommerce problems.
- Learn from peers, compete for prizes, and gain exposure with an expert jury of industry leaders.
