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Enterprises Shift Toward AI-Ready Commerce Platforms

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, 88% of enterprises are gearing up to modernize their commerce platforms in the coming year, according to new research from commercetools. This move signifies a broader acknowledgment of the crucial role that artificial intelligence will play in shaping the future of commerce. With 97% of business leaders agreeing that AI will transform the commercial landscape, it's evident that the pressure is on for legacy systems to catch up.

The Urgent Need for Modernization

The findings from the report titled "The State of eCommerce Replatforming and Migration Trends for 2025" underline a significant opportunity for businesses eager to leverage AI in their operations. Organizations that have already undergone migration are reaping the benefits, reporting seven times higher satisfaction and a remarkable 96% faster time to achieve value. Additionally, these businesses noted double-digit revenue growth, highlighting how upgraded, AI-ready platforms can directly enhance performance.

So, what factors are driving this shift? Enterprises cite three main priorities: improved scalability (79%), enhanced user experience (79%), and accelerated innovation (78%). These are precisely the areas where traditional platforms often struggle, creating a compelling argument for modernization.

Embracing AI-First Architecture

Recent research suggests that 93% of enterprises anticipate a pivotal role for AI agents in predicting customer preferences and influencing purchasing decisions. To support this objective, commercetools promotes open standards like the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), in collaboration with OpenAI and Stripe. By making enterprise commerce data securely available to AI systems, these initiatives enhance the foundation for automated and intelligent commerce experiences capable of significantly increasing revenue and operational efficiencies.

The Fall 2025 Compilations from commercetools bring several advanced AI-driven features, including:

• - Developer MCP (Early Access): This enables direct embedding of commercetools APIs into integrated development environments (IDEs) and AI copilots, thus streamlining development workflows.
• - Smart Data Modeler (Early Access): Utilizing AI to rapidly generate product data models from catalogs, this tool streamlines onboarding and eases migrations.
• - AI Hub (Early Access): This hub connects brand data to agentic checkout platforms like Microsoft Copilot Shopping, further promoting automated commerce.

Migration and User Experience

The emphasis on AI-ready infrastructure is paramount. A staggering 96% of businesses that have recently migrated reported a faster than anticipated time to value, and another 96% found their new platforms easier to navigate. Notably, the features outlined in the Fall 2025 Compilations directly respond to the primary migration concerns: enhanced scalability, improved user experience, and swifter innovation.

Moreover, the following innovations are being introduced to boost conversions and streamline operations:

• - Real-Time Inventory Management: Control inventory dynamically, with features like automatic cart reservations and notifications for out-of-stock products, crucial for businesses with fluctuating demand.
• - Scheduled Recurring Orders: This allows businesses to automate repeat purchases, creating predictable revenue streams.
• - Expanded Checkout Options: This includes features to lock prices and discounts at checkout, minimizing surprises for consumers.
• - Flexible Bulk Ordering: Through improved features in the Merchant Center, organizations can facilitate collaborative B2B ordering, thus optimizing procurement.

The Future: AI-Driven Decision Making

Recent data indicates that many organizations are moving away from platforms such as Shopify (39%), SAP Commerce Cloud (35%), and Salesforce Commerce Cloud (30%), primarily due to challenges like limited scalability and poor user experiences. A more modular architecture resolves these shortcomings, placing businesses in a better position to adapt as commerce evolves.

As Shiri Mosenzon Erez, Chief Product Officer at commercetools, rightly states, “Every eCommerce platform decision made in 2025 is fundamentally a bet on AI readiness.” Organizations must consider whether their chosen platform can keep pace with AI advancements or risk facing a messy migration in the near future.

With a flexible and responsive architecture, commercetools continues to pave the way for enterprises to create commerce infrastructures that meet present demands while remaining adaptable to future innovations. For businesses keen on exploring these opportunities, the complete showcase of the Fall 2025 innovations and the comprehensive research report on eCommerce platform trends can provide invaluable insights.