Lucidworks Annual AI Benchmark Study Finds That Retail Brands Are Skipping Steps on the Path to Agentic AI

While 34% of retailers deploy advanced AI shopping assistants, 49% don’t have product availability in search, and only 38% offer multiple languages

SAN FRANCISCO, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lucidworks, the leading provider of AI-powered search and product discovery technology for e-commerce, today released new insights from a B2C and Retail-focused edition of its 2025 Generative AI Global Benchmark Study.

For the first time, Lucidworks’ annual study combines a wide-reaching survey of over 1,600 AI decision-makers with an AI-guided assessment of more than 1,100 companies across 48 industries. This methodology represents the first use of agentic AI for competitive intelligence benchmarking.

This retail-specific breakout report reveals a stunning disconnect: retailers are deploying sophisticated AI shopping assistants while lagging behind in table-stakes capabilities, such as product availability and language support.

“We discovered that 34% of e-commerce companies are working on AI-guided selling, yet 49% don’t even have product availability in their search results. They’re doing it backwards,” said Michael Sinoway, CEO of Lucidworks. “It’s like chatting with a salesperson at a clothing store, only to learn that they ran out of your size. Some companies have recreated that frustrating experience online - and spent millions on AI to do it.”

The study also found that only 38% of retailers support multiple languages, making language the most neglected of the 24 capabilities analyzed.

“This is a huge oversight for any retailer. Spanish speakers in the US alone represent trillions in purchasing power. Companies that don’t offer Spanish language support are simply leaving money on the table,” added Sinoway. “Add international markets on top of that, and multilingual support becomes essential for the vast majority of consumer-facing businesses.”

Other Key Insights From the Report:

Plans to increase AI spending dropped 35 points since the 2023 generative AI boom (from 93% to 58%)
But results are finally showing: 33% now report significant AI benefits (up from 14% in 2024)
Retail still lags behind other sectors in benefit: B2B (37%) and Healthcare (43%) see higher benefit rates
Cost anxiety skyrocketed 18X since 2023, forcing smarter deployment decisions

Company Assessments:
Using their proprietary AI agent, "Guydbot," Lucidworks’ researchers evaluated actual website capabilities, not just what companies claim. Leaders by total capabilities deployed include:

Furniture Retail: Wayfair (79%), Raymour & Flanigan (69%), Pottery Barn (63%)
Footwear: Vans (71%), UGG (69%), Timberland (65%)
Drug Stores & Beauty: CVS Pharmacy (73%), Ulta Beauty (71%), Walgreens (67%)
Surprise standout: 122-year-old Harley-Davidson ranked #3 in automotive

Download the full B2C retail analysis here.

About Lucidworks
Lucidworks transforms complex data into actionable insights through AI-powered search and product discovery solutions. Clients achieve a 391% ROI and are 2.5 times more likely to successfully deploy AI initiatives. Global leaders, including Lenovo, Morgan Stanley, and American Express, rely on Lucidworks to power digital experiences that drive business results. Learn more at Lucidworks.com.

Contact: pr@lucidworks.com

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