By Gonzalo Torres, GM Shopify in Spain

Artificial intelligence has left behind the stage of futurism to become a real lever for business transformation. It is no longer the exclusive preserve of large technology companies: AI is consolidating its position as a fundamental tool for SMEs and large companies, opening up new opportunities from the automation of operations to the creation of hyper-personalized customer experiences. This profound change also raises questions: How are Spanish companies using AI? What priorities are emerging in the main European markets?

In order to respond, Shopify conducted a survey of more than 1,000 retailers in Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the UK. The analysis reveals a complex and dynamically diverse reality in Europe, where each economy adapts AI according to its technological maturity and social context. In Spain, more than 54% plan to use AI for content generation by 2025, in line with the European average, but our country stands out especially for its leadership in marketing (52%), translation support (42%), product image generation and data analysis (41% in both cases).

The potential of AI in Spain can be seen in the tangible adoption by national commerce: one in three businesses expects to improve the quality of customer service (33%), automate internal processes (33%) and personalize experiences and products (33%). In addition, 22% plan to use it for fraud detection and prevention, and 20% for price optimization, reflecting how AI is integrated into areas considered critical to business management and profitability.

The European comparison is illustrative: Germany is moving ahead with even higher figures in content generation (60%) and marketing (51%); France focuses on strengthening customer service (38%, the highest value in the study); Italy, more cautious in its adoption, uses AI mainly for recommendations and translation; the UK opts for caution, with only 27% using AI for customer service. The differences highlight different degrees of digital maturity and strategic approaches that mark the competitive pulse of each market.

In conclusion, Spain evidences the transition of AI from mere experimentation to a comprehensive strategy: it is no longer considered just a one-off marketing tactic, but a true 360° competitiveness infrastructure. Consolidating this progress, deepening integration in operations, logistics and product development, is the challenge to transform technological innovation into a sustainable and differentiating advantage for national commerce.