Artificial Intelligence in E-Commerce: A Comparative Analysis of Best Practices Across Leading Platforms

This study explores the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital commerce platforms and whether such adoption is aligned with market positioning changes. Focusing on five of the largest e-commerce companies—Amazon, Apple, Shein, Temu, and IKEA—the study examines the application of AI in six key areas of operation: customer service, logistics, personalization, security, and supply chain management. A two-stage qualitative method was employed: a Scopus database-organized literature review, and a walkthrough examination of each company’s home page. There is extensive diversity in the deployment strategies of AI, which business models and digital maturity drive, the findings show. Amazon has end-to-end integration, but newer entrants such as Shein and Temu are concentrating on customer-facing AI tools. Apple, although it uses AI across its ecosystem, illustrates few examples in its online store. Notably, the rankings of firms under study align with their 2023 revenue rankings. Although no cause-and-effect relationship is assumed between the adoption of AI and revenue performance enhancement, the existence of a correlation suggests that AI could facilitate strategic differentiation. A comparative method for analyzing the adoption of AI is proposed in the study and highlights the importance of ethical, organizational, and regulatory concerns. Subsequent research should involve empirical measures of performance, longitudinal monitoring, and user-led assessments to enhance understanding of the impact of AI on digital trade.