AI takes hold as businesses accelerate investment in personalization, new report shows

Majority of firms are using AI for tailored pricing, search, discounts and content — with adoption highest in the US

VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA, April 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new study from Apply Digital, the digital transformation partner for global brands, reveals the extent to which businesses in North America and the UK are embracing artificial intelligence to personalize customer experience at scale.

Based on a survey of 400 senior business leaders across both markets, the report finds that AI is rapidly becoming a foundation for real-time personalization, with companies applying it across digital storefronts, pricing, promotions, and search.

Among the most widely adopted use cases are enhanced search tools — such as autocomplete and conversational interfaces — where 67% of businesses say they are already using AI, with a further 28% planning to adopt it within the next 12 months.

Other high-growth areas include dynamic pricing based on individual behavior, already used by 60% of respondents and planned by 33% in the next 12 months. Personalized discounts and promotional offers will also become broadly standardized within a year, over half of businesses (55%) now offer these functions through AI-driven platforms and a further 36% will do so within 12 months.

The report’s author, Brian Browning, VP of Enterprise Solutions at Apply Digital, comments: “Personalization is being rapidly enhanced with AI as businesses move from the experimentation stages to making this a strategic priority. Businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, no matter their size or sector, are increasingly embedding this transformative technology across the customer journey to create faster, smarter, more relevant experiences.”

While all sectors — including B2B, retail, media and entertainment, CPG, and sports — are all investing heavily in AI, and largely at a similar pace, there is a clear regional difference, with the US leading on current adoption overall. However, British businesses show stronger short-term intent as they look to close the gap.

The report, 2025 Leadership Priorities in Personalization, also highlights how this wave of AI adoption is being driven by shifting consumer expectations. Nearly seven in ten consumers — and 80% of those aged 18 to 24 — say they value personalized experiences. But with that comes rising demand for transparency: nearly 40% want more control over how their data is collected and used.

Browning adds: “AI technology now means businesses can offer true one-to-one experiences at scale, and it seems almost everyone is looking to leverage this capability. But the winners will be those who personalize with empathy, transparency and trust. AI is an amazing tool, but it must be used wisely.”

With further investment planned — over half of all leaders surveyed expect to spend more than $1 million on personalization in 2025 — the report suggests that it is becoming a defining capability for modern businesses. And as agentic AI tools such as digital assistants become more widely used, the customer experience will be shaped not just by people, but by the intelligent systems that act on their behalf.

The 2025 Leadership Priorities in Personalization report is available to download now at http://hubs.ly/Q03gBTGdo

Andy Riley
Velvet PR
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