3488: How Akeneo Sees the Future of Product Experience in an AI First Retail World

Nov 17, 2025

Romain Fouache, CEO of Akeneo, dives into the evolving landscape of AI-driven shopping experiences. He reveals that 84% of consumers are satisfied with AI recommendations, yet trust in AI remains fragile. Romain emphasizes the critical role of high-quality product data in fostering trust and improving customer experiences. He also discusses the shortcomings of chatbots due to poor product foundations and predicts that by 2026, personal shoppers and conversational agents will shape retail. Trust, transparency, and accurate data are essential for thriving in this AI-driven future.

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INSIGHT

AI Recommendations Deliver Real Value

84% of consumers who bought from an AI recommendation reported satisfaction because the recommendations solved real needs.
Romain Fouache says AI simplifies discovery and makes buying easier when it works on good data.

ADVICE

Prioritize Product Data Quality

Do fix and govern your product data before deploying conversational AI to avoid eroding trust.
Romain Fouache warns that there is no good AI without good, comprehensive product data.

INSIGHT

Hallucinations Often Start With Bad Data

Hallucinations often stem from bad or missing source data rather than only model flaws.
Romain Fouache argues cleaning data reduces the chance an AI will generate harmful or false product claims.

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What happens when AI becomes the centre of how we shop, yet trust still determines whether any of it works? That question shaped my conversation with Romain Fouache, CEO of Akeneo, who joined me to unpack the latest consumer data on AI driven shopping experiences.

Retail giants might be setting the pace, but the real story sits in how everyday shoppers feel about these new tools. Akeneo's recent research caught my attention when it revealed that eighty four percent of consumers who acted on an AI recommendation were satisfied with the purchase. The appetite is clearly there, yet trust remains fragile, especially when only forty five percent feel confident in AI powered suggestions and even fewer enjoy their chatbot interactions. Romain sees this moment as both a turning point and a warning, one that demands honest conversations about transparency and product data.

As we worked through the findings, Romain explained why good AI depends entirely on high quality product information and why poor data is still the biggest threat to customer confidence. He argued that brands can reduce friction, improve discovery, and deliver more relevant experiences by grounding their AI tools in reliable product knowledge rather than guesswork. He also spoke about why many chatbots continue to miss the mark. The issue is less about the technology and more about the lack of strong product foundations beneath it. When recommendations go wrong, trust erodes quickly, and rebuilding that trust will require clear communication about how data is used and why certain suggestions appear. I found his view on privacy particularly interesting, especially his belief that better intent based interactions could lower the industry's dependence on invasive data collection.

Looking ahead to 2026, Romain shared why he expects conversational shopping to become a primary way people browse and evaluate products. He believes the shift away from keyword driven search is already happening and that smaller retailers should not feel outpaced by the largest platforms. With the right product experience strategy, he says, AI opens new opportunities for global reach and category diversification.

The conversation also touched on why product experience, rather than product data alone, will determine the brands that build loyalty in an increasingly competitive environment. It left me wondering how ready businesses truly are for a world where product information must be accurate, real time, and aligned with the way AI tools interpret customer intent. What do you think matters most for building trust in AI powered shopping?

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