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Mar 20, 2026
12min read

What Can AI Agents Do: AI & Optimization in 2026

Stephanie Safdie

Stephanie Safdie

What is AI-Powered Optimization Really Doing in 2026?

What can AI agents do in 2026? It’s far more than you think – as AI is now playing an integral role in reshaping how optimization works.

The noise has never been louder for AI, with industries from food, fashion, to entertainment finding new ways to push the limits of what AI can do to optimize their success. No longer a futuristic concept, AI is now a daily component for teams across multiple industries to establish success in marketing, conversion, and more. 

However, many people still remain wary of AI in 2026 — as some fear it could replace them entirely. This concern is one that resonates across many industries, and the world of optimization is no exception.

But when we look past the potential fear associated with AI, we can see that AI isn’t here to replace the optimizer – but to be used as a tool to amplify already existing strategies. This is because AI can automate tedious, analytical tasks and uncover new insights that the naked human eye might miss. In turn, this can allow teams to focus more on strategy and creativity – and leave the more mundane chores in the hands of AI. 

We’re going to explore the tangible benefits of AI in optimization software today, how it is continuing to evolve, and address the common concerns regarding what the future holds for AI in Experimentation Optimization Platforms (EOPs).

The World Before: A Quick Look at Optimization Without AI

Things were different just a couple of years ago. College students didn’t have Claude to help write their papers. High school students didn’t have Chat GPT to finish their homework. Colleagues didn’t have Gemini to respond to emails. 

The same goes for the EOP world before AI. 

The overview cards below will show what traditional optimization process consisted of:

Data analysis icon

Manual data analysis

Test ideation icon

Time-consuming test ideation

Developer dependencies icon

Developer dependencies for simple changes

Complex results icon

The challenge of interpreting complex results

Before AI, optimization heavily relied on statistical models to optimize. While these were effective, it remained challenging to choose the best hypothesis to test – which is the first step to achieving conclusive results in experimentation.

Luckily, this is where AI has stepped in – helping us to develop stronger hypotheses and consequently, more robust testing and results.

When brands dare to find growth in unexpected ways, such as with AI, you can leverage opportunities that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.

This is where AI can step in and bring expertise to make experimentation easier. 

infographic explaining AI and personalization

How AI Benefits Experience Optimization in 2026

There are several benefits to using AI for your Experience Optimization Platform (EOP) in 2026.

Here are some of the various advantages AI brings to optimization platforms: 

  • Manual Analysis to Proactive Insights: AI doesn’t just present data, but interprets with more conducive results. This reduces the chance of subpar results and makes testing more effective and concise. Tools like AB Tasty’s Report Copilot (Evi) analyze results, summarize key takeaways in natural language, and even suggest the next best action, turning reporting from a passive dashboard into an active “optimization engine”.
  • Brainstorming to Data-Driven Ideation: AI tools like Visual Editor Copilot can analyze user feedback, competitor sites, and performance data to suggest high-impact A/B test ideas. This allows brands to overcome creative blocks and prioritize their roadmap.
  • Code-Dependent to Code-Free Creation: Generative AI in tools like the Visual Editor allows marketers to make changes with simple text prompts, such as by suggesting to make a button blue or add a banner. This dramatically reduces reliance on developers and accelerates test velocity.
  • Static Segments to Dynamic, Emotional Targeting: Perhaps the most pivotal benefit of AI in optimization software, AI tools can provide real-time, intelligent targeting as opposed to basic segments.
iphone face down on coral background

Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Will AI Replace Me?

Understandably, there’s a lot of uncertainty that accompanies the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Many people working across various industries worried that AI could replace them entirely.

According to National University, a whopping 52% of employed people are concerned that AI will be able to do their job and render their professional skills useless.

The overview cards below will reveal some key figures about the current use and future direction of AI:

35%

of companies around the world use AI in their business models

52%

of experts think AI will both replace and create jobs

77%

of companies are exploring the use of AI

It’s understandable that the near omnipresence of AI is overwhelming, especially with the looming apprehension that AI could make optimization roles obsolete. But if you think of AI as more of an assistant instead of a replacement, it could actually make your existing work easier. This can leave more room for more innovative ideas instead of time consuming data-analysis. 

The problem with AI in fields like optimization is that many people tend to think of it as simply being on autopilot. In reality, AI functions as more of a co-pilot in EOPs – handling the “how” so humans can focus on creating goals for the “why” and the “what’s next”. 

The table below will break down the differences between AI being on “autopilot” (what many consumers fear) and when AI works as a “co-pilot” :

AI on “autopilot”AI as a “co-pilot”
Uses AI to create content Uses AI to make suggestions & spark ideas
Executes tasks end-to-endCollaborates with humans to refine decisions
Prioritizes speed and automationBalances speed with control and creativity

How AI Can Boost Time Efficiency in Workflows

AI serves as more of an assistant rather than a replacement. In fact, 88% of creative professionals said that they felt generative AI could help them to produce content faster – without replacing them entirely (Adobe Digital Insights). 

Think of a marketer staring at a blank hypothesis backlog. By using AI as a sounding board, they can quickly generate fresh test ideas, suggest high-impact page elements to experiment on, and even draft email subject line variations to A/B test — all in a fraction of the time it would take to do manually. AI isn’t replacing the marketer’s judgment, but avoiding an incessant blank page so they can spend more time doing what they do best: thinking strategically and acting decisively.

AI can serve as a way to enhance already existing human thinking, creativity, and brand understanding. This is because the best AI strategies blend automation with human oversight and expertise.

yellow light bulb and god coins on yellow background

How Tools Like Evi AI & Emotions AI Boost Optimization Strategies 

Sometimes it’s hard to believe in the power of AI until you see it in action. 

At AB Tasty, we want optimization and AI to work together as a team – and that’s exactly what our software accomplishes. 

Here are three different AI-powered software tools used in AB Tasty optimization platform:

  • EmotionsAI analyzes in-session behavior to identify a visitor’s emotional needs (e.g., Need for Safety, Need for Immediacy) in just 30 seconds. This allows for personally tailored carousels, pop-ups, and more to boost conversion.
  • AdaptiveCX uses predictive AI to personalize experiences for anonymous visitors based on their live intent, adapting the journey in milliseconds.
  • Evi AI is an AI agent that transforms complex data into clear, actionable strategies for your experimentation program by automating the A/B testing journey. This includes generating data-backed ideas, hypotheses, and analyzing campaign results to help make smarter, evidence-based decisions.

 AB Tasty, we want optimization and AI to work together as a team – and that’s exactly what our software accomplishes. 

Our AI powered tools reveal that AI doesn’t have to work against you, but with you. When paired with daring ideas, AI can take you one step closer to the next level of success. 

The Future is Collaborative: What’s Next for AI in Optimization?

The future of AI in optimization isn’t just making suggestions, but taking action. As AI agents become more autonomous, teams will be able to redirect their focus to achieving greater goals instead of spending additional time on tiresome tasks. 

Here are just a few of the ways that AI could boost our collaborative efforts and make progress in personalization even more possible:

Agentic AI 

Instead of just suggesting a test, an AI agent might propose an idea, build potential models, monitor performance, and even make suggestions for follow-up steps. This turns the platform into an intelligent, self-improving system – one that requires no extra work or a large team of coders. 

Deeper Integration

Also, AI in optimization can help to bridge the gap between different platforms – such as between analytics, e-merchandising, and Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). This creates a unified, quick-witted optimization ecosystem that can respond to changes instantaneously.

Proactive Optimization

As AI becomes more authoritative, it will be able to not only report past activity – but actively make suggestions for the future. 

This means that instead of redirecting optimization tactics toward potentially obsolete information, future optimizations can expand revenue or reduce catalog fatigue according to live data. This shows how AI can operate as an effective tool in supporting already existing personalization plans, predictive analysis, A/B testing strategies, and more.  

blue shopping cart on light blue background

Conclusion: Your New Teammate is an Algorithm

In 2026, AI is not a threat – but an essential teammate in your growth journey. 

It makes optimization faster, smarter, and more human-centric by handling the machine-scale tasks that used to slow us down. Brands that are brave enough to try, iterate, and test the boundaries of what AI can do will be bound to be more successful than those who don’t take small steps forward with AI as their ally. 

Remember, AI isn’t meant to replace raw, human talent – but amplify your power to make progress.

Let’s push past the limits and learn what AI agents can do for optimization, together. 

FAQs

Still have questions about AI and optimization? Here are the answers you need.

What does “AI-powered optimization” mean in 2026?

AI-powered optimization refers to using machine learning models to automatically test, learn, and improve digital experiences in real-time. This means instead of relying only on manual A/B testing, using AI in the world of optimization can allow brands to quickly analyze user behavior, predict outcomes, and create robust personalization experiences.

How is AI different from traditional A/B testing?

Traditional A/B testing compares a few variations and waits for statistical significance. AI and optimization, on the other hand, can:

  • Test multiple variables simultaneously (multivariate testing)
  • Adapt experiences in real time
  • Personalize content for different audience segments automatically (such as with AdaptiveCX or Emotions AI)

This makes optimization faster, dynamic, efficient – and better tailored to individual users while they’re still shopping on your website. 

Is A/B testing still relevant in 2026?

Yes, A/B testing is still important in 2026 – as it’s especially useful for validating major changes, running controlled experiments, and building trust in the decision making. Remember, AI enhances A/B testing as opposed to replacing it – often working alongside it.

What data is needed for AI optimization to work effectively?

AI-powered optimization tools usually rely on behavioral data (clicks, sessions, navigation), contextual data (device, location, time), and historical performance data. The more high-quality data available, the better the AI can make accurate decisions.

How do I know if AI is being used ethically in optimization?

You can determine if AI is ethically being used in optimization software by seeing if they respect user privacy and consent, avoid biased outcomes, are transparent about data usage, and still follow regulations like GDPR.

Can small teams benefit from AI-driven optimization?

Yes, small teams can absolutely benefit from AI-driven optimization tools! This is because many modern tools are designed to be accessible, allowing smaller teams to automate testing, scale personalization tactics, and gain insights without the need for large data teams. 

What are the biggest mistakes companies make with AI optimization?

Common mistakes companies in optimization make with AI include relying on poor-quality or insufficient data, over automating without a clear strategy, mitigating the initial and fundamental experiment design, and focusing on short-term wins over long-term learning.

How long does it take to see results from AI optimization?

Brands could see the impact of AI-powered optimization in as little as a few days to weeks. That being said, the more meaningful long-term gains of AI tools in optimization often aren’t seen for several months. 

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About the Author

Stephanie Safdie

Stephanie Safdie holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language & Literature from the University of Maryland College Park, where she acquired a degree specialized in multimedia studies to create engaging content specifically for the internet. Having previously worked as a social media content video creator, freelance copywriter, managing her own successful travel blog (Destination Dreamer Diaries), and working several years at Greenly (climate-tech SaaS carbon accounting firm) as their in-house SEO copywriter – Stephanie has a wide array of writing skills to link the gap between lifestyle and tech. With ample knowledge on the environment, travel, and popular culture – Stephanie’s work at AB Tasty covers a wide variety of topics to depict how AI and optimization software can benefit any and all industries. Dedicated to learning to continuously improve her written work, Stephanie has pursued several trainings in journalism and AI to curate a more well-rounded profile for content creation.

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Mar 18, 2026
7min read

Feed Driven, Creative Ideas: How Top CRO Professionals Think with Richard Joe

Stephanie Safdie

Stephanie Safdie

Do you want to feed driven, creative ideas into your CRO plan – but aren’t sure where to start?

Richard Joe shares his unique journey that led him to CRO, his actionable insights that can help all marketers take a step toward increased conversions, and his predictions for CRO and experimentation in the near future. 

Currently working as an Experiment Lead at Yoghurt Digital, Richard Joe is passionate about CRO and deeply intrigued by the different ways to feed driven, creative ideas that have a tangible impact on business success. Richard is also the host of the podcast Experiment Nation. With more than 10,000 subscribers on YouTube, it has grown into a global community of CROs sharing fresh, innovative perspectives in the field. He has also spent several years gaining experience across a wide range of industries, including e-commerce, real estate, and healthcare. His background across SEO, paid search, and web development shaped the well-rounded CRO expertise he has today.

Richard spoke with AB Tasty’s Head of Marketing and the host of The 1000 Experiments podcast, John Hughes, about his vast experience in CRO across various marketplaces, the future of CRO, and how experimentation can be humanized and approachable for all. 

Here are the main points from their conversation to remember.

Anyone Can Get Started in CRO

Even if you’ve never heard of Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) before, Richard Joe reveals how it’s more than possible to embark on this experimentation journey with no previous experience.

Having not even heard of the term “CRO” until 2016, Richard came across this word for the first time when someone he knew working in affiliate marketing in the e-commerce space was posting on social media.

Without even knowing what A/B testing was, despite having worked in marketing and web development, Richard was fascinated to learn more – as he was already working in an industry where clients were doing split testing. 

After this, Richard joined a team in general marketing and continued to pursue this interest by playing around with simple things while working in roles for SEO or paid ads – such as changing the font on a CTA button, headlines, and images. This sparked further curiosity and made him interested in CRO not from a business angle, but the creative aspect in taking an idea and eliciting tangible change. 

Bringing out the more inquisitive, psychological aspects of his mind – Richard was interested in how creative ideas can turn into multimodal moments that are capable of delivering new analytics, statistics, and actionable insights.

5 Principles Every Marketer Should Apply to Improve Conversions.

In our conversation with Richard, we discovered some of the best ways to feed driven, creative ideas to create effective CRO methods across all industries.

Here are 5 principles we learned in our discussion with Richard that every marketing professional should dare to explore: 

1. Keep Testing, Trying, and Learning

During our podcast, Richard stressed the importance of not giving up after first few failures. 

Real teams, real growth, and real results can often be achieved following the most unexpected experiments. 

By taking the plunge in trying and testing new optimization ideas, you can take your brand one step further to bold steps that lead to smarter wins.  

2. Digital Marketing is Beneficial for CRO

Having worked several years in marketing himself, Richard shared how CRO can leverage a marketing team’s power in making progress. 

Having a CRO manager serves as a dedicated position to improving your website’s performance. This can help your marketing team to be taken more seriously.

Often inspired by already existing, successful webpages – CROs can identify innovative ways to bring in great traffic. This can help develop new ways to strengthen audience interest. 

3. Don’t Fear AI

AI is continuing to take the optimization community by storm. This means it’s more important than ever to be brave in experimenting with AI platforms.

The use of Artificial Intelligence in Experience Optimization Platforms (EOPs) can prove extremely beneficial. Tools such as Evi AI can help to map customers based on their emotional needs and personalize their shopping experience accordingly. 

Your brand can achieve new growth and ambitious goals when you take AI into account. 

two people shaking hands with tan background

4. Find Fun Ways to Build Awareness

Despite his individual interest in CRO, Richard realized that not everyone might be as excited about boosting conversion rates. 

To combat this, Richard explained some of the dynamic ideas he used to get people involved in the testing community. This included engaging events such as by sending out a vote on which test won. 

This helped people to feel a more personal connection and investment to CRO strategies. It also created new opportunities for potential partnerships by engaging everyone in new tests and experiments. 

Additional ways you can showcase how CRO and experimentation benefits a company includes:

Host half-hour chats icon

Host half-hour chats

Opportunity to explore new things happening in your world, what’s worked and what’s been less successful but maybe spurred a new idea.

Test games icon

Test games

Share with people the control and variation and create a poll to get people engaged to see which one won.

Raise Awareness with Playfulness icon

Raise Awareness with Playfulness

Any other ways to make people more invested with fun activities or discussions can help to make CRO feel less analytical and more like a creative brainstorming session.

5. View Failure as a Step Toward Growth

Having a healthy sense of realism when testing can help to put things in perspective. 

Due to the nature of testing, there’s a high chance that it may not always go as planned. This is similar to when taking a test or exam. Even if you’re well prepared, you don’t know how you did until you receive the final results.

Recognizing that some tests are simply a trial run can give you the confidence to be more courageous for your next test. 

Not all tests are a success. But they are always allowing you to take one step closer to your next brave, breakthrough idea. 

The Future of CRO: Experimentation with AI

The future of experimentation is subject to change. This is especially true as technology continues to advance with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Everyone can, and should, take a dive into the world of AI. Even if you’re not an expert, playing around with simple platforms could open your eyes to new possibilities. Failing to be broad-minded, it could come at the cost of your brand’s competitive advantage. 

The hype surrounding AI may have passed in the experimentation community. However, it’s still important to find personal ways to make AI work in favor of your brand’s progress. 

Conclusion: The Reality of Becoming a CRO

Becoming a successful CRO isn’t always going to happen in a straight line. But if you aim to fail forward – it’s possible to feed driven, creative ideas.

Together, we can fledge a new path of phenomenal improvement you could’ve never imagined before.

FAQs

What is a CRO?

A CRO, or a Conversion Rate Optimization Manager, is a specialist responsible for improving a company’s online presence – often with a goal in mind to boost conversion rates and long-term brand loyalty. This includes working to analyze and adjust websites, landing pages, email campaigns, and more.

How Can I Get Started in CRO?

Anyone can get started in CRO, even with minimal previous experience. As long as you’re interested in getting to know your customers and diving into the world of A/B testing, you can be a very successful CRO manager.

Small steps to take while dipping your toes in the water with CRO management is to analyze your conversion funnel, understand how heatmaps work, use session replays, learn to understand website analytics, and troubleshoot your call-to-actions (CTAs).

How is a CRO manager different from an SEO manager?

While search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of boosting your site’s organic traffic by trying to fulfill user search intent,  conversion rate optimization (CRO) refers to reviewing your website’s performance metrics and leveraging this useful information to boost sales and conversion rates.

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4min read

Debugging Server-Side Experimentation Faster with Live Hits

Emily Healy

Emily Healy

When teams run server-side experiments, one of the biggest challenges is validating that everything is working correctly before and after launch.

Unlike client-side experimentation, where visual checks can often help confirm a setup, server-side experimentation depends heavily on event flows, payload quality, and implementation accuracy. If something is misconfigured, teams may not notice immediately. In many cases, they have to wait for reporting to refresh before they can confirm whether data is being collected as expected.

That delay can slow down QA, make troubleshooting harder, and reduce confidence at launch.

The server-side debugging challenge

For product, engineering, and experimentation teams, implementation validation is a critical part of the workflow. Before a campaign goes live, they often need to answer a few simple but important questions:

  • Are hits actually reaching the platform?
  • Are the right events being sent?
  • Do the payload details match what was expected?
  • Is everything working properly in production after launch?

Without real-time visibility, answering those questions can take longer than it should. Teams may need to wait for aggregated reporting or rely on manual checks across multiple tools. That creates friction in QA cycles and can make debugging more complex, especially in fast-moving release environments.

Introducing Live Hits

Live Hits is designed to make server-side QA and debugging much easier.

It provides a real-time stream of SDK events as they reach the platform, allowing teams to validate implementation immediately instead of waiting for reporting updates. This gives users direct visibility into what is being sent, helping them troubleshoot faster and launch with more confidence.

Rather than working from delayed, aggregated data, teams can inspect incoming hits as they happen.

What Live Hits helps teams do

Live Hits is especially useful during two key moments:

1. During QA before launch

When a campaign or feature is ready for validation, teams can use Live Hits to confirm that the expected events are arriving correctly. This helps verify that implementation is complete and that the right information is being sent.

2. Right after launch in production

Once a campaign is live, teams can run a second check to confirm that traffic is flowing as expected in the real environment. This helps catch issues early and adds an extra layer of confidence at go-live.

Why this matters

Real-time visibility can make a major difference for teams working on server-side experimentation.

Key benefits include:

Faster debugging

Identify issues without waiting for reporting refreshes

Smoother QA workflows

Validate implementation before launch

Better troubleshooting

Inspect detailed event information when something looks off

For teams running complex experimentation programs, these advantages can reduce back-and-forth between product, engineering, and QA while speeding up time to validation.

A more practical way to validate implementation

One of the most useful aspects of Live Hits is that it helps teams move from assumption to confirmation.

Instead of asking, “Did the event fire?” and waiting for reports, users can quickly verify:

  • the type of hit received
  • the associated identifiers
  • the event details being transmitted
  • whether the payload matches expectations

This makes it easier to investigate implementation issues, validate tracking logic, and confirm that a campaign is ready to move forward.

Built for real experimentation workflows

In practice, server-side experimentation often requires close collaboration across multiple teams. Product managers want confidence in setup, developers want to confirm implementation, and QA teams need a reliable way to validate behavior before launch.

Live Hits supports that workflow by giving teams a shared, immediate view of incoming SDK activity. It helps simplify the path from implementation to launch, especially when speed and accuracy both matter.

Why real-time validation is becoming essential

As experimentation programs mature, teams need more than reporting alone. They need tools that help them validate faster, troubleshoot earlier, and reduce uncertainty during rollout.

That is exactly where Live Hits adds value.

By giving teams real-time visibility into server-side events, it helps turn debugging and QA into a faster, more reliable process. For organizations looking to scale experimentation with confidence, that kind of visibility can be a meaningful operational advantage.

Final thoughts

Server-side experimentation offers flexibility and control, but it also raises the bar for implementation validation. Waiting for aggregated reports is not always enough when teams need to debug quickly and launch confidently.

Live Hits from AB Tasty helps close that gap by making server-side event validation immediate, practical, and easier to act on.

If your teams are looking for a better way to QA server-side campaigns and verify implementation in real time, Live Hits is built for exactly that.

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Mar 12, 2026
4min read

The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your E-Commerce KPIs (And How to Fix It)

Emily Healy

Emily Healy

For e-commerce teams, the pressure to deliver results is constant. Whether you’re a merchandiser, a buyer, or a digital leader, you’re expected to show how your work translates into business value. But in the day-to-day rush, it’s easy to lose sight of the numbers that matter most.

The Real Challenge: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Most e-commerce platforms offer a wealth of data. There are dashboards, reports, and analytics tools that can tell you almost anything about your site’s performance. But here’s the problem: these insights are often buried, hard to access, or only reviewed during quarterly business reviews. 

As a result:

  • After the initial setup, strategies can become “set and forget.”
  • Opportunities for improvement are missed because no one is regularly looking at the right KPIs.
  • When it’s time to prove ROI, it’s a scramble to pull together evidence and justify decisions.

When performance data isn’t front and center, it’s easy for teams to become reactive instead of proactive. The focus shifts from continuous improvement to simply keeping things running.

A Better Way: Make KPIs Part of the Weekly Routine

What if, instead of waiting for high-stakes quarterly reviews, you had a simple, structured way to check in every week? A routine that keeps your KPIs visible, your strategies healthy, and your team focused on improvement – not just maintenance.

That’s the thinking behind AB Tasty’s Performance Digest: a weekly loop that connects three things into one flow:

1

Step 1

Weekly Digest Email

A weekly email that highlights key performance signals and brings you back into the platform.

2

Step 2

Reporting on Business Impact

Stay up to date with KPIs designed to be buyer-friendly.

3

Step 3

Guided ideas for improvement

Think of our AI as a coach that helps you prioritize what to optimize next and gives step-by-step instructions.

This isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about making performance a habit, not a hurdle.

A Weekly Habit That Tells a Clear ROI Story

One of the hardest parts of e-commerce reporting isn’t collecting data — it’s telling a clear story about business impact.

AB Tasty’s Performance Digest makes that story easier by emphasizing direct contribution: the business generated when a shopper clicks a recommended or merchandised item and purchases within the same session.

Just as importantly, it builds a weekly routine around that story. Instead of hoping teams remember to log in (or only revisiting performance during quarterly reviews), Performance Digest starts in your inbox with a weekly snapshot of what moved — so KPIs stay visible and decision-making stays consistent.

Performance Digest: weekly revenue opportunities in your inbox

From “What Happened?” to “What to Do Next”

Dashboards can show you what happened, but the real bottleneck is deciding what to do next. That’s why Performance Digest will include a small set of guided improvement ideas to help you prioritize where to invest time, spot opportunities you might miss in a dashboard-only workflow, and iterate with confidence.

This weekly loop also makes ROI easier to prove. Quarterly reviews often create high-stakes, retroactive conversations. A weekly cadence creates a steady trail of decisions and outcomes — what changed, what improved, and why

Takeaway: Make Performance a Habit, Not a Hurdle

The most successful e-commerce teams don’t wait for problems to show up in quarterly reports. They build habits that keep performance and improvement part of the weekly workflow. The key is to make your most important KPIs visible, actionable, and impossible to ignore.

Because when ROI is always top of mind, better results tend to follow.

FAQs about E-commerce KPIs

How often should e-commerce teams review KPIs?

Weekly KPI reviews are often the most effective cadence for e-commerce teams because they’re frequent enough to catch issues early, but light enough to sustain as a habit.

How do you prove ROI from merchandising and product recommendations?

To prove ROI, connect merchandising actions to business impact using metrics that tie clicks and placements to outcomes (like revenue, conversion, or contribution metrics tied to on-site interactions).

With AB Tasty’s Performance Digest, you create a weekly “paper trail” of performance signals and actions taken, making ROI conversations easier and less reactive at quarter-end.

How can I keep e-commerce KPIs visible without living in dashboards?

AB Tasty’s Performance Digest brings key performance signals into a weekly email, so e-commerce teams stay on top of their results.

How do we turn KPI reporting for e-commerce into clear next steps (not just charts)?

AB Tasty’s Performance Digest includes guided ideas for improvement, helping you prioritize what to optimize next instead of staring at dashboards and guessing.

What are e-commerce KPIs and why do they matter?

E-commerce KPIs are measurable metrics – like conversion rate, revenue, and average order value – that show how your site and merchandising efforts impact business results.

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Mar 6, 2026
16min read

From Static to Adaptive: The New Era of Personalization with Adaptive CX

Stephanie Safdie

Stephanie Safdie

The Adaptive Personalization Gap: Why It’s Needed in 2026

Shopping isn’t as simple as it used to be. Long gone are the days where we had the patience to drive to the mall, walk into a store, and wait in tedious lines to try on a pair of boots or test out a pair of headphones. Thankfully, this is where adaptive personalization can align with our modernized way of shopping.

In 2026, customers are more unpredictable than ever – with up to 70% of online shoppers abandoning their cart before even making it to checkout.

As a whopping 90% of human decisions are emotionally driven, it’s not surprising that a digital shopper’s intent is subject to change on a dime –  especially in today’s short-attention-span world. This reveals why adapting quickly to single-session activities is essential for success.

Therefore, the challenge with these less-than-analytic shoppers is that most brands have to invest in personalization. However, even then, many brands can still fall short on what makes for a truly successful personalization strategy. 

Take a look at just a few of the “micro-moments” that matter and are often still missing in many approaches to personalization today:

Low Battery icon

Low Battery

A user with low battery may not have enough time to finish their session, creating urgency to convert them quickly.

Private Browsing icon

Private Browsing

Incognito mode hides user history, making it harder to personalize based on past data. In-session behavior becomes critical.

Multiple Tabs Open icon

Multiple Tabs Open

A user with many tabs may be comparison shopping or get distracted. Grab their attention before they click away.

Color Preferences icon

Color Preferences

Users often show affinity for certain colors in products. Adapting image results to match these preferences can boost engagement.

Shopping Extensions icon

Shopping Extensions

The presence of coupon extensions signals a price-sensitive shopper who may be receptive to a targeted discount.

Zoomed Images icon

Zoomed Images

When a user zooms in on product images, it indicates high interest. This is a key moment to provide more detail or social proof.

The Problem with the “Unknown”

In the midst of the rise of digital shopping and consumption, up to 90% of website traffic is anonymous, incognito, or logged out – which deems more traditional data-reliant personalization strategies less effective.

In order to seize the opportunity at hand when a user reaches your site, brands have to take bold ideas and turn them into action. To that end, an effective transition from static to real-time, adaptive personalization strategies can make a world of difference.

Quick Recap: What is Personalization? 

In simple terms, personalization refers to the process of tailoring an experience according to the individual user’s preferences as an effort to encourage deeper and more methodical on-screen time to boost conversation rates. As a whole, the main goal of personalization is to leverage tactics that will increase the chances of a user making a purchase on the website.

Deploying an effective personalization strategy isn’t always easy, as brands need to have a good understanding of their customers. This requires collecting various demographic information such as age, gender, and location. As a result, this data can help brands to create a better digital experience for each individual user.

Real-World Example of Personalization

Imagine someone going to a popular fashion apparel store. Oftentimes, the main demographic for these websites may involve women in their teens or 20s living in warm climates –  meaning it might recommend something more fitting to their local temperature such as a lightweight jacket or capri pants that it may not share with a user living in Canada. 

As a result, personalization can also use predictive strategies, most commonly algorithms in order to further shape and refine the shopper’s digital experience.

For instance, customers who have previously purchased boots, sunglasses, or necklaces may be recommended the same products upon returning to the site — or even within the same session — based on the assumption that they are interested in that type of apparel.

What is Real-Time Personalization?

Real-time personalization refers to the type of personalization that occurs simultaneously as a consumer digitally explores a shopping site. 

The name “real-time” personalization comes from the instantaneous element of the experience: as the processing, analysis, and utilization of collected data happens on the fly – allowing brands to adjust the user experience accordingly while they’re still shopping. 

Especially as we dive deeper into the era of immediate gratification, such as how Gen Z shoppers are migrating their shopping habits toward PDPs instead of a traditional Google search – it’s becoming increasingly imperative to implement these types of instantaneous personalization techniques. 

Some examples of real-time personalization and how they could benefit your brand long-term include:

How Real-Time Personalization Benefits Your Business

Real-Time Intent Detection

What it is
Real-time intent detection analyzes in-session behavioral signals — such as scroll depth, click patterns, and time spent on specific product pages — to predict what a visitor is looking for before they even search for it.

How it drives long-term revenue
By surfacing the most relevant content, products, or offers at the exact moment a user shows intent, brands can dramatically reduce drop-off rates and shorten the path to purchase. Over time, this builds a self-reinforcing loop: more conversions generate more behavioral data, which in turn fuels even more precise personalization — compounding revenue gains with every session.

Revenue Impact: Reduced drop-off + Higher AOV

Intelligent Incentive Targeting

What it is
Not every visitor needs a discount to convert. Intelligent incentive targeting uses real-time behavioral scoring to identify which users are already likely to purchase — and withholds discounts from them, while serving timely promotions only to those showing hesitation signals.


How it drives long-term revenue.


This tactic protects your profit margins while still recovering at-risk sessions. Instead of training your entire audience to wait for a coupon, you reward undecided shoppers at the right moment — increasing conversion without eroding the perceived value of your brand. The result is a healthier revenue baseline that grows sustainably.


Revenue Impact: Margin protection + Smarter discounting

Adaptive Product Discovery

What it is
Adaptive product discovery dynamically reorders carousels, category pages, and search results based on inferred preferences detected during a live session — such as color affinity, price range sensitivity, or brand loyalty signals — without relying on cookies or login data.


How it drives long-term revenue
When users consistently find what they are looking for faster, satisfaction scores rise and repeat visit rates follow. Brands that implement adaptive discovery typically see a measurable uplift in both revenue per visitor and return purchase frequency — two of the most reliable long-term revenue indicators in e-commerce.


Revenue Impact: Higher RPV + Increased retention

Cookieless Personalization For Anonymous Users

What it is
Up to 90% of website traffic is anonymous — users who are not logged in, browsing in incognito mode, or who have cleared their cookies. Cookieless personalization leverages purely in-session micro-behaviors to build a live picture of user intent, requiring no historical data or PII whatsoever.


How it drives long-term revenue

This approach future-proofs your personalization strategy against ongoing privacy regulation changes (GDPR, CCPA) and browser-level cookie restrictions. By unlocking a personalized experience for the majority of your traffic that was previously treated as generic, brands unlock an entirely new revenue pool — one that grows more valuable as third-party data becomes increasingly scarce.


Revenue Impact: New revenue pool + Privacy-proof strategy

In the age of real-time available insights that can be used immediately to boost the chances of a consumer purchase, many brands are contemplating if it’s worth making the switch from static to adaptive personalization.

The Limits of Traditional (Static) Personalization

While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with the use of more traditional, or better known as static, personalization – brands may benefit from implementing the use of adaptive personalization strategies with software such as AdaptiveCX.

The main issue between traditional and adaptive personalization is that static personalization relies on historical data, fixed segments, and can be too slow for real-life user behavior – as it operates under the notion that user activity remains consistent and doesn’t change within milliseconds.

Furthermore, passive personalization strategies aren’t preferred by the majority of consumers – with up to 53% of users claiming these tactics made for a less-than-optimal shopping experience. As a whole, this can lead to less conversation, brand loyalty, and reduced ROI – all of which could be evaded by implementing real-time personalization.

The battle cards below will further break down the differences between “real-time”(adaptive) and “non-real-time” (static) personalization:

The Future

Real-Time Personalization

⚡ Milliseconds — during the live session
  • Adapts to user behavior as it happens — clicks, scrolls, pauses, and tab switches all inform the experience in real time.
  • Triggers timely pop-ups, messages, and product changes while the user is actively shopping — not hours later.
  • Maintains consumer interest and momentum on-site, reducing the likelihood of drop-off or distraction.
  • More intuitive and user-friendly — helps visitors find what they are looking for without friction.
  • Maximizes revenue opportunities at the peak of buying intent, when the user is most likely to convert.
  • Works for anonymous, cookieless, and incognito users — no historical data required.
Bottom Line

Personalization that acts in the moment, not after it. The difference between a sale and a missed opportunity is measured in milliseconds.

VS
The Old Way

Standard Personalization

🕐 Hours, days, or weeks — after the session ends
  • Personalization occurs outside the direct session — often long after the user has already left the site.
  • Relies on historical data, past purchases, and cookies to build audience segments over time.
  • Retargeting emails and ads may reach the user days or weeks after their original intent has faded.
  • Has less immediate impact on the user experience during the moment that matters most — the visit itself.
  • Cannot account for in-session context shifts, such as a change in intent or urgency signals like low battery.
  • Dependent on known user data, making it ineffective for the ~90% of anonymous visitors.
Bottom Line

Personalization that arrives too late. By the time the message reaches the user, the buying window has already closed.

Enter AdaptiveCX: Real-Time Personalization for Everyone

What is AdaptiveCX?

AdaptiveCX is a predictive AI engine that processes behavioral signals while the user is still in session. This can help to better understand visitor intent and adapt their digital journey on the spot. Ultimately, this can help to boost revenue opportunities, as it keeps users engaged with their relevant interests and encourages stronger on-page time.

Ultimately, the goal of AdaptiveCX is to allow brands to make customer experiences more flexible and enticing to the user in real-time – as without it, websites can miss the mark on maintaining consumer interest all the way to check out.

Now used by over one billion visitors, several leading global brands utilize AdaptiveCX to ensure their personalization tactics remain instantaneously meaningful to the user at hand. 

Some of the hallmark qualities of AdaptiveCX include:

Cookieless by Design

AdaptiveCX relies entirely on in-session behaviors (clicks, scroll depth, dwell time, multiple tabs) rather than historical identity or PII, making it privacy-compliant and effective for anonymous traffic – which totals at a staggering 90% of visitors.

Speed and Scale

Predictions are calculated and activated in roughly 20 milliseconds, ensuring the experience adapts instantly without slowing down the site.

Ease of Use

With AdaptiveCX, there’s no need for data scientists or engineers – as product managers, data and analytics teams, and even those working in merchandising can easily deploy this personalization without any required additional skills.

How AdaptiveCX Works in Real-Time

The horizontal timeline below will reveal how AdaptiveCX works in real-time:

1

Step 1

Analyzes Live Signals

Captures micro-behaviors like mouse movements, pauses, and product comparisons as they happen in the session.

2

Step 2

Predicts Intent Instantly

Uses AI to forecast affinities (e.g., categories, colors, brands) and the likelihood of future actions (e.g., probability to purchase, abandon, or return).

3

Step 3

Delivers Real-Time Results

Automatically pushes the right experience — be it a customized search result, targeted content, or a timely promotional nudge — directly to the user.

infographic made by ab tasty explaining the benefits of adaptivecx and real time personalization

Real-World Use Cases of Real-Time Personalization with AdaptiveCX

There are several ways that AdaptiveCX helps users to seamlessly implement real-time personalization techniques. In turn, these practices can often prove worthwhile for brands over the long-run.

Here are just a few of the ways AdaptiveCX makes personalization both fearless and seamless:

  • Intelligent Incentives: AdaptiveCX’s technology works by predicting user intent and connecting people with the products they are most likely to buy. This ultimately curates a more clever digital experience bound to boost sales. 
  • Adaptive Search: With AdaptiveCX, you can personalize search suggestions and listing pages to be filtered according to inferred preferences from the user. This drives faster discovery and higher chances of a consumer purchase.
  • Adaptive Carousels: Users of AdaptiveCX can dynamically reorder categories based on user intent to ensure the most relevant items are always seen first. This includes color detection, promoting products more fitted towards potential revenue, and automatic reshuffling based on preferences.
  • Personalized Pop-Ups: Various adaptive promotions and perfectly tailored pop-ups are generated on the spot. This can help to align with the user’s interests and can incentivize a shopper to stay on the site.
  • Out-of-Stock Experiences: AdaptiveCX helps to avoid drop-offs by speedily showing personalized, high-affinity alternative products when an item is unavailable. As websites only have around 15 seconds before a user decides whether or not to leave the page, showing these customized replacements can help retain audience attention and engagement. 
shopping cart against orange background bird's eye view

The Benefits for Businesses Becoming Adaptive

In today’s modernized world, it’s crucial to step inside the consumer’s mindset to ensure continuous business success. Luckily, adaptive personalization can be the exact, “set-it-and-forget-it” method brands can easily use to assimilate to the challenges of online shopping.

Take a look at what can be achieved without the need for heavy infrastructure or large data science teams when you use AdaptiveCX for personalization:

+10%

increase in conversion rates.

+15%

uplift in revenue per visitor.

2.5x

improvement in retention rates.

The future of customer experience (CX) will continue to align with the rest of technology today. This means it isn’t about knowing who your customers were, but understanding what they want right now.

Taking a bold step, such as from static to adaptive personalization, could be the exact kind of brave change your brand needs to unlock the next level of excellence. 

Are you curious to learn more about how AB Tasty and AdaptiveCX can help you make progress in personalization? Let’s build better experiences together →

FAQs

What is the difference between adaptive and static personalization?

Static personalization relies on predisposed rules set by marketers. For example, a website might show a specific banner to users from a certain location or display different content for returning visitors. These rules remain unchanged until someone manually updates them.

Adaptive personalization, on the other hand, continuously adjusts experiences in real time based on user behavior, context, and data. Instead of relying on rigid rules, it learns and adapts dynamically to deliver the most relevant content or experience.

Adaptive personalization is also often referred to as AI-driven personalization, dynamic personalization, or real-time personalization – as it uses data and algorithms to automatically optimize the customer experience.

What kind of software can I use to implement adaptive personalization?

One option for software catered to adaptive personalization is AdaptiveCX, an in-house solution developed within the AB Tasty platform.

Effectively implementing an adaptive personalization effectively requires excellent software that can analyze user behavior, run experiments, and automatically optimize experiences. With AdaptiveCX, businesses can move beyond static rule-based personalization by using experimentation and adaptive decisioning to tailor digital experiences for each user segment in real time.

What does AdaptiveCX do?

AdaptiveCX is a tool within the AB Tasty platform designed to deliver adaptive, data-driven personalization in real-time.

It accomplishes this by continuously analyzing user interactions and testing results to determine which experience performs best for different audiences. Instead of relying on fixed segments or assumptions, AdaptiveCX dynamically adjusts content, layouts, and messaging based on what actually drives engagement and conversions.

This approach allows teams to:

  • Automatically optimize customer journeys
  • Deliver more relevant experiences in real-time
  • Reduce manual rule management
  • Continuously improve performance through experimentation

This real-time, user data allows for a more personalized digital experiences – which can help boost conversion rates and brand loyalty long-term.

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About the Author

Stephanie Safdie

Stephanie Safdie holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language & Literature from the University of Maryland College Park, where she acquired a degree specialized in multimedia studies to create engaging content specifically for the internet. Having previously worked as a social media content video creator, freelance copywriter, managing her own successful travel blog (Destination Dreamer Diaries), and working several years at Greenly (climate-tech SaaS carbon accounting firm) as their in-house SEO copywriter – Stephanie has a wide array of writing skills to link the gap between lifestyle and tech. With ample knowledge on the environment, travel, and popular culture – Stephanie’s work at AB Tasty covers a wide variety of topics to depict how AI and optimization software can benefit any and all industries. Dedicated to learning to continuously improve her written work, Stephanie has pursued several trainings in journalism and AI to curate a more well-rounded profile for content creation.

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Article

Mar 3, 2026
8min read

More Than a Booking: How to Drive Revenue with Smarter Digital Experiences

John Hughes

John Hughes

With digital channels now the default for travel planning, the game has changed. Passenger revenues are hitting record highs, but intense competition means thinning margins on ticket sales. To counter this, airlines are tapping into the $144 billion ancillary revenue market, with 73% now investing in AI-driven personalization and pricing tools according to the Boston Consulting Group. The shift is clear: your digital storefront is the critical battleground.

This isn’t just about a prettier booking form. It’s a strategic shift happening right now. The real question is, are you ready for it?

From timetable to travel partner

An airline’s website used to be a simple payment portal. Today, that model is obsolete. The modern airline site is a continuous commerce engine and a personalized travel concierge. The industry is moving toward a retail-like experience where every interaction is an opportunity to add value and drive revenue.

This transformation is driven by what we’ve all come to expect from the best e-commerce sites: seamless and relevant experiences. Research from the Baymard Institute shows significant gaps remain in user-friendly booking.

With 72% of all travel reservations now made online, the winners will be those who close these gaps, creating a journey that feels less like a form and more like a conversation.

The friction that grounds your conversions

Even the biggest carriers fall victim to common UX issues that create friction. The result? CellPoint Digital reports an industry cart abandonment rate of nearly 90%. That means nine out of ten booking processes are never completed. These are the problems we see time and again:

  • Opaque fare comparisons & surprise fees: The single biggest driver of abandonment is unexpected costs. A 2025 study found that 39% of users leave a purchase because extra fees are too high. Hiding what’s included in different fares forces users to hunt for information, breaking the booking flow.
  • A slow and complex funnel:Baymard Institute has found that a complicated checkout process is responsible for 18% of all abandonments. Every second a page takes to load, especially on mobile, is a chance for a user to navigate away. A one-second delay can reduce conversions by 7%, according to SITE123.
  • Clunky ancillary flows: Poorly designed interfaces for adding bags, meals, or upgrades can make the process frustrating, leading to users skip it entirely.
  • Widespread accessibility failures: A critical and pervasive failure is in digital accessibility. A 2024 study found a shocking 76% of airline websites are not accessible enough for users with disabilities, effectively excluding a market segment that includes 16% of the world’s population.
  • Deceptive urgency: As detailed by Web Designer Depot, dark patterns like high-pressure countdown timers or misleading “only 2 seats left” banners can erode trust.
person in yellow shirt and jeans with crossbody bag

Your pre-flight checklist for a better UX

Before you can find your better, you need to know where you stand.

The interactive flip cards below (move cursor over card to flip) will reveal a checklist to audit your site and pinpoint key areas for improvement.

Performance

How quickly does your flight search load? According to SITE123, 40% of users will abandon a site that takes more than three seconds.

Search & availability UX

Is it easy to filter results and compare dates? Are you putting the most relevant information front and centre? Working with Iberojet, we made simple search box adjustments that increased clicks by 25%.

Fare clarity

Are all fees and inclusions presented upfront to avoid the 39% of drop-offs that the Baymard Institute attributes to surprise costs?

Ancillary merchandising

Are add-ons presented clearly, or do customers need to click around to understand what you’re offering?

Personalization signals

Are you recognizing logged-in users or remembering their recent searches?

Mobile experience

Does your site work seamlessly on a small screen? Data from hotelagio.com reveals over 45% of all online travel bookings in Q1 2025 were on a mobile device.

Accessibility

Does your site meet the benchmark of a Google Lighthouse score of 90 or above? According to MarketingTech, only a third of airlines currently do.

Trust signals

Are security logos, clear policies, and recognizable payment options visible? These elements are crucial for building the user confidence needed to complete a high-stakes transaction involving sensitive personal and financial data.

Checkout abandonment triggers

Where are users dropping off? Research from the Baymard Institute indicates that mandatory account creation alone causes 19% of users to abandon their purchase.

Better, faster: your first 30 days

You don’t need a complete overhaul to see meaningful results. Start with these high-impact changes you can implement quickly.

  • Simplify the fare breakdown: Use a clear, visual grid to show the differences between fare types to combat the trust erosion from hidden fees.
  • Show price guarantees: Add a simple message like “Find a lower price within 24 hours? We’ll refund the difference.” Let customers know that they are getting the best deal by booking with you.
  • Reduce form fields: Do you really need every piece of information, like passport details, at the initial booking stage? It’s much more practical to capture only the essential details needed to secure the purchase. Less critical information can be collected post-booking through a “Manage My Booking” portal, reducing initial friction and getting more customers across the finish line.
  • Add a progress indicator: Show users exactly where they are in the booking process (e.g., “Step 2 of 4”) to reduce the friction and help set customer expectations.
  • Highlight the most popular ancillaries: Pre-select the most commonly chosen baggage option to simplify choice, making the process feel easier and faster.
  • Optimize mobile search: Use a larger, thumb-friendly calendar and single-column layout for mobile search forms, targeting the 45% of bookings coming from mobile.

Trial and better: A 60–90 day roadmap

With quick wins in place, it’s time to build a culture of continuous improvement. Here are concrete A/B test ideas to get you started.

Test dynamic ancillary placement with personalization

Hypothesis: Offering ancillaries at different points in the funnel based on user behavior will increase take-rate.

We can test this by using our personalization engine to segment users. For “decisive” users who quickly select a flight, we’ll offer a bundled “Trip Pack” immediately, while “browsing” users who spend time comparing will see ancillary offers on the seat selection page. We will use funnel tracking to measure the impact on the primary metric of ancillary revenue per booking, as well as progression through the checkout flow.

Test personalized destination banners

Hypothesis: Personalizing the homepage banner based on a user’s origin or past searches will increase engagement.

As a variant, instead of a generic banner, we can use our audience builder to target users from Chicago with a “Weekend Getaways from ORD” banner, responding to findings from Skyscanner that 66% of travelers want personalized offers. The primary metric for this test would be the click-through rate on the homepage banner.

Test guest checkout flow with feature flags

Hypothesis: Offering a prominent “Continue as Guest” option will significantly reduce abandonment caused by the friction of mandatory account creation.

We can use a feature flag to safely roll out a redesigned login page where “Continue as Guest” is the primary call-to-action for a small segment of traffic before running a full A/B test. Funnel tracking can then be used to precisely measure the impact on the primary metric of checkout completion rate.

The right way to say, “we remember you”

True personalization is about being helpful, not intrusive. The goal is to use data to remove friction and add value. The incentive is powerful. Companies that excel at personalization generate 40% more revenue on average, which makes sense when71% of consumers now expect it.

However, consumers are also wary of how companies handle their data. The key is a transparent value exchange. Use what you know to be helpful. If a logged-in user frequently flies to San Francisco, show them SFO fares. If a user is searching from mobile on a Tuesday morning, they might be a business traveler who would appreciate fares with Wi-Fi. It’s about recognizing intent and responding with relevance.

Don’t trade trust for a transaction

In the rush to optimize, it’s tempting to use “dark patterns” that manipulate users. But tactics like hidden opt-outs or false urgency burn trust. A 2022 European Commission report found 97% of popular apps use at least one deceptive design element.

The better path is transparency. Aggressive dark patterns can lead to unintended purchases and post-purchase regret, eroding the loyalty you need. With the FTC in the USA now banning“drip pricing” fees, the tide is turning toward honesty.

For example, instead of a pre-checked insurance box, try a version where the user has to actively select “Yes” or “No.” You might find that a clear, well-explained offer converts just as well without the negative feelings.

Embrace positive change to transform your digital presence. By auditing your site, securing quick wins, and developing an experimentation roadmap, you can create an experience that converts casual browsers into dedicated customers.

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Feb 26, 2026
6min read

Conversion is a conversation: how GenAI is reshaping e-commerce and travel

Emily Healy

Emily Healy

Generative AI is now creating a massive shift in how online buyers discover and compare products. That’s why we’ve put together a roadmap to help you understand the 2026 consumer in our e-book, The Spontaneous Shift: Consumer E-Commerce Trends for 2025. For e-commerce and travel brands this represents a real paradigm shift in how digital marketing works; one they will need to adapt to, and fast, if they want to survive.

Meet your customer’s new shopping assistant

While Google search is still the dominant force in discovery, our research shows that other channels are rapidly gaining ground. And the fastest growing channel of all is Generative AI (like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, or Claude from Anthropic). Use of Gen AI tools by online shoppers in the discovery phase has grown 75% in just the last year, rising from 8% in 2025 to 18% as it quickly moves from a novelty to a utility.

But while more people are choosing to use AI, the level of uptake differs across generations. Perhaps not surprisingly, younger shoppers are more comfortable using AI tools to find what they need. 32% of Gen Z now say that they find AI helpful in their online buying journey. Millennials are not far behind, with 30% of them seeing AI as a helpful assistant, but this number falls to 13% of Baby Boomers.

What’s clear is that the online behavior of consumers is changing and at pace. Younger generations especially are no longer content with scrolling through a list of blue links. Instead, they’re asking questions – and expecting answers. They aren’t just typing keywords like “red sneakers” into their browser; they’re giving AI prompts, like “Find me a pair of red sneakers that look cool and are under $80.”

This is a profound shift and one that has big implications for e-commerce and travel brands. Firstly, it means consumers no longer need to visit multiple websites to compare different products and services. They can do all of that and more by simply asking questions to an AI interface: “Is this sustainable?” “Will this work for my specific use case?” “How does this compare to their competitor’s offer?” The transaction is quickly becoming a conversation.

What this signals is a move away from carefully crafted product detail pages (PDPs) and towards much more dynamic interactions. If your brand can’t answer these questions in the conversational spaces where they’re being asked, either an on-site AI chatbot or a third-party platform, you’re effectively invisible. You don’t exist in an online consumer’s decision-making loop.

The new frontier of optimization

That in turn presents brands with a unique challenge. When online buyers perform a Google search or search directly on your website, you can see their query. But when they ask a question to a third-party AI platform, that happens inside a metaphorical “black box”. You can’t see what question they asked, and you can’t (currently) buy an ad to influence it.

This “invisible intent” requires a new kind of optimization. Because you’re no longer just writing for humans or typical SEO algorithms; you’re also writing for the Large Language Models (LLMs) of Generative AI. Fortunately, the core SEO principles of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) can still provide brands with a competitive edge.

This is because LLMs are designed to recommend what they interpret as being the most credible answer, not just the one with the most (or best) keywords. If you want GenAI to recommend your products or services, you’ll have to give it proof that your brand is the authority.

To stay visible in this conversational future, that means your content strategy needs to move from volume to value. And if LLMs are to place any trust in your user reviews, they’ll need to be authentic. You also need to ensure that product data is structured with schema markup so it can be “read” by these new gatekeepers. It needs to be rich enough to answer the nuanced questions of online shoppers, not just fill a spec sheet.

Changing the face of travel

Human interaction has always been at the heart of the travel industry. And travelers have traditionally been happy to receive personalized recommendations or resolve any issues they might have by speaking with a real person. But this change in online buyer behavior from keyword search to asking questions of GenAI means the travel sector is perhaps even more exposed than most to this disruption. 

Our research shows that 36% of travelers have now used AI-powered tools, chatbots, or virtual assistants to book travel or solve issues and found them helpful. Another 32% haven’t tried using these yet but are open to doing so. Again, Gen Z are the most open to AI, with 49% saying they have used AI tools and found them helpful when booking travel. And while this figure is 41% for Millennials, it falls to 21% of Baby Boomers.

Focus on quality

This is good news for travel brands looking to embrace on-site AI chatbots to help visitors plan travel. But at the same time, there’s also nothing to stop those same online buyers from doing that on a third-party platform. A prompt like “Plan a 5-day family-friendly trip to Lisbon in May, staying near the city center with a budget of $2000,” can generate a complete itinerary with flight suggestions, hotel options, and activity booking links. All without visitors ever going near a brand’s website.

That means there’s a real possibility for travel brands of being reduced to a single item in an AI-generated plan. And if they lose the ability to showcase a unique brand experience on their website, travel companies like hotels and airlines risk being compared merely on price and basic features alone. Loyalty programs and creating exceptional customer experiences are likely to be more important than ever.

Travel is also time sensitive. A third-party AI platform is unlikely to recommend a hotel or a flight if it can’t access real-time availability, accurate pricing, and clear policies. This requires travel companies to be laser-focused on the quality and accessibility of their data. Again, the best way to ensure that GenAI recommends your brand to online buyers is to have rich, well-structured information that is instantly available.

Conclusion

The world of e-commerce and online travel is undergoing a real paradigm shift in how online buyers discover and compare products. And the rules are still changing in real-time. Ensuring that your data is as authoritative as possible and easily accessible to GenAI is currently your best bet to remain visible in this new environment. The only viable way to do this is to build a culture of continuous experimentation; testing, learning, and iterating towards your “better”.

Takeaways for e-commerce and travel brands

  • Test your GenAI visibility: Go to ChatGPT or Gemini and ask questions about your product category. If your brand doesn’t show up, you have an optimization gap to fill.
  • Develop AI-friendly product data structure: Implementing comprehensive schema markup across your site is no longer optional, it’s the price of entry.
  • Create AI-friendly content: Develop clear, factual, easily digestible content that directly answers questions your customers might have. This makes it much more likely that it will be used by an LLM.
  • Track GenAI adoption monthly: Monitor the amount of traffic to your website coming from third-party Gen AI tools and how this affects sales.

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Article

Feb 25, 2026
4min read

Real-Time Personalization in 2026: How to Meet Customer Expectations

Emily Healy

Emily Healy

Personalization has long been a goal for brands looking to create more relevant and engaging experiences. Traditionally, this has meant using static rules and segments – showing different content to new visitors, returning customers, or VIP shoppers.

While this approach has value, it often falls short when customer needs and interests change quickly.

Why Real-Time Personalization Matters More Than Ever

Today’s customers are unpredictable. They jump between devices, change their minds mid-session, and expect brands to keep up. It’s very common for shoppers to change their intent during a single visit.

For example: a user who starts out searching for a small purse for everyday fashion [category: bag] might begin looking for black sunglasses for an upcoming beach trip [category: accessories] – all in one session. Real-time personalization adapts to user needs in the moment.

Traditional personalization is based on fixed segments and rules.

It can’t keep up with rapid shifts in customer needs and preferences. Traditional personalization treats users the same way throughout their visit, missing crucial signals and opportunities to engage.

The Challenge: Static Personalization’s Limits

Most brands have invested in standard personalization. It’s a great foundation, using segments like “new visitor” or “VIP” to tailor experiences. But static rules are slow to react. They’re built on who a customer was, not who they are right now or how they are behaving.

The result? Missed chances to upsell, cross-sell, or simply delight your customers with relevant content. In a world where attention spans are short and competition is fierce, that’s a risk brands can’t afford.

The Solution: Real-Time Personalization with AdaptiveCX

Real-time personalization is about responding to customer intent as it happens. Instead of relying solely on historical data or static segments, real-time solutions monitor user actions (clicks, searches, time spent on pages) and adjust the experience instantly.

So, how can brands personalize in real time in 2026? The answer lies in solutions like AdaptiveCX – technology designed to sense, interpret, and respond to customer intent as it happens. Adopting real-time personalization doesn’t mean abandoning what works. Think of it as evolving your strategy – layering real-time capabilities on top of your existing efforts.

Here’s what real-time personalization looks like:

  • Continuous monitoring: Every interaction is tracked as it happens.
  • Intent recognition: The system identifies when a user’s interests or goals change, even within a single session.
  • Instant updates: Content, offers, and recommendations are refreshed on the fly to match the user’s current intent.

Example:
Let’s say there’s a user who has a typically of using one brand to rent a car for business travels and now this user wants to use the same brand to explore family vacation rental options. With real-time personalization, the website immediately shifts to highlight family-friendly deals and relevant upsells, ensuring the experience stays relevant throughout the session.

How to Personalize in Real Time in 2026

  1. Use behavioral data: Go beyond static segments by analyzing real-time actions – what users are clicking, searching, and viewing right now.
  2. Integrate across channels: Ensure your personalization engine works seamlessly on your website, mobile app, email, and even in-store.
  3. Prioritize intent: Focus on what users are doing in the moment, not just who they are or what they did in the past.
  4. Test and refine: Continuously experiment with different approaches to see what drives the best results.
  5. Respect privacy: Be transparent about how you use data and give users control over their personalization preferences.

The Impact of Real-Time Personalization

Brands that implement real-time personalization see clear benefits:

  • Higher engagement and conversion rates
  • Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty
  • More effective upselling and cross-selling
  • A stronger competitive position

Moving Forward

Personalization in 2026 is about more than just knowing your customers. It’s about understanding and responding to what they want in the moment. Real-time personalization helps brands stay relevant, capture more opportunities, and deliver experiences that truly resonate.

Ready to see how real-time personalization can work for you? Explore our resources, request a demo, or connect with our team to learn more about AdaptiveCX and how it can help you deliver what your customers want, instantly.

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6min read

Cleared for Takeoff: A Guide to Airline Website Optimization

John Hughes

John Hughes

An experience that starts with turbulence won’t sell a smooth flight. The journey begins on your screen, not the runway. Long before the boarding call, before the stress of the security line, and before a passenger ever experiences the comfort of their seat, they experience your website. That digital interaction is the true start of their journey with you, and your first opportunity to impress your brand ethos upon them.

For the modern traveler, a clunky, confusing website isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a red flag. It creates friction and anxiety at a time when they are looking for reassurance and ease. The experience you provide online must be a direct reflection of the seamless, efficient, and hospitable service you provide in the air.

By thinking holistically about the digital experience, and optimizing your website to match user expectations, you can turn a stressful process into a smooth takeoff, converting browsers into loyal passengers. 

Your brand experience begins before the runway

The core challenge for any airline is to translate the feeling of a well-serviced flight into a digital format. When a passenger is onboard, your team is trained to anticipate needs, offer comfort, and provide clear information. Your website must be held to the same high standard. Every page, every button, and every form is a touchpoint that either builds confidence or creates doubt.

Think of your homepage as your virtual gate agent, welcoming travelers and guiding them effortlessly to where they need to go. Is the booking engine intuitive? Is information about baggage fees easy to find? Can a passenger change their seat without a headache? These aren’t just usability questions; they’re brand questions. A frictionless digital experience tells your passengers that you value their time and are committed to making their entire journey, from booking to landing, a positive one.

girl on her phone

Business or pleasure? Crafting journeys for the ‘why’

Not every passenger arrives on your website with the same mission. A business traveler flying to a conference has a vastly different intent than a family planning their summer holiday. The first needs efficiency and directness; the second is looking for inspiration and value. A one-size-fits-all website serves neither of them well.

The power of tailoring the journey can be seen in the work we did with Evolve Vacation Rental. They recognized that a user arriving from a high-intent Google search (“how to rent my vacation home”) was ready for a different conversation than a user who clicked a brand-aware ad on Facebook. Working with us, they tailored their landing pages to match that intent, and spoke to each user’s specific needs.

Airlines can apply the exact same logic. A visitor searching for a specific flight route and date is on a mission. Their journey should be streamlined, with clear calls-to-action for booking and relevant upsells like seat upgrades or lounge access. In contrast, a visitor arriving from a broad search like “flights to Spain” is in a discovery phase. Their landing page should be rich with inspirational content: fare sales, destination guides, or travel ideas. By segmenting your audience by their ‘why,’ you can create a more relevant and effective journey for everyone.

Make self-service a first-class experience

Flying comes with a checklist of necessary tasks: booking, checking in, amending details, and adding extras. The more of these actions a passenger can complete themselves, quickly and easily, the less stressful their experience will be. Your goal should be to make your website’s self-service functionality a first-class experience.

This often comes down to simple, intuitive design. The travel agency Iberojet, for example, questioned whether the tabs on their homepage were in the most logical order for their users. By running a test and switching the order of their “Holiday Packages” and “Travel Circuits” tabs to better reflect user behavior, they increased clicks on the “Search” button by a huge 25%.

Similarly, consider the lesson from SuperShuttle, who found that their social media icons weren’t getting much engagement. By redesigning their footer to make the icons more prominent, they saw a massive increase in traffic to their social pages. Sometimes it really is as simple as making things clearer.

 For airlines, the takeaway is clear: make your primary calls-to-action for essential tasks like “Check-In Online” or “Manage My Booking” unmissable.

Turn loyalty from a program into a perk

For many passengers, the true value of an airline loyalty program isn’t just about accumulating miles for a future trip. It’s about the immediate, friction-reducing perks that make the travel day smoother: priority boarding, preferred seat selection, or an extra baggage allowance. The challenge is that the sign-up process itself can often feel like a point of friction.

To encourage sign-ups, the process needs to be as seamless as possible. The travel company OUI.sncf wanted to increase account creations and realized that the traditional sign-up form was a barrier. By running a test and adding a social login option via Facebook, they made the process significantly easier. The result was an 18% increase in account creations and a 9% lift in transactions from logged-in users.

Once a passenger has an account, the real value emerges. By securely saving key details like passport numbers, frequent flyer information, and meal preferences, you can transform a ten-minute booking process into a two-minute one. This is how loyalty moves from being an abstract program to a tangible, valuable perk that passengers appreciate every time they fly.

From lost connection to brand connection

Even on the best-designed websites, users can sometimes get stuck. A complex fare rule, a confusing payment page, or a simple user error can lead to frustration and an abandoned booking. The most forward-thinking airlines anticipate these moments and have a plan to turn that potential friction into a positive brand interaction.

We saw this principle play out perfectly with travel agency Havas Voyages. Their team implemented a smart strategy using exit-intent technology. When the site detected a user was about to leave a page, it didn’t just let them go. It proactively triggered a pop-up that offered an appointment with a human travel planner at the nearest physical agency. They saved the lead by offering a different path forward.

For an airline, this principle can be modernized with live chat or AI-powered chatbots. Imagine a user hesitating on the payment page. A small chatbot window could appear, asking, “Having trouble? I can help with common questions about payment or baggage.” This automated, helpful intervention can solve problems instantly. For more complex issues, the chatbot can escalate the conversation to a live agent. This transforms a moment of potential failure into an opportunity to provide excellent, real-time customer service, reinforcing your brand’s commitment to a stress-free journey.

Curious about how your website can be better optimized for people? We’re here to help you build up brave ideas into brilliant results. Let’s talk about what you want to achieve.

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Feb 19, 2026
4min read

What’s New in Feature Experimentation & Rollouts?

Emily Healy

Emily Healy

We’re continuously improving Feature Experimentation & Rollouts (FE&R) to make your experience smoother, faster, and more reliable. Here are the latest updates now available:

Data Explorer: Now available in FE&R

The Data Explorer, already available for Web Experimentation, is now accessible in Feature Experimentation & Rollouts. You can now explore and export your server-side data directly from the platform, without relying on external or technical tools like Postman.

With FE&R Data Explorer, you can:

  • Query and export metrics (conversion rate, revenue, custom goals, NPS, action counts, etc.)
  • Access and export raw hits (SDK events, API calls)
  • Apply filters and dimensions (campaign, environment, feature, user properties, time range, etc.)
  • Define custom date ranges and result limits
  • Generate API payloads directly from the UI

This feature was one of the most requested improvements by our clients. It increases transparency, improves trust in data collection, and brings stronger consistency between client-side and server-side capabilities within One Platform.

👉 Access Data Explorer directly from your FE&R interface.

Live Hits: Real-Time QA for Server-Side

When implementing or debugging a campaign, waiting for aggregated reports can slow you down. With Live Hits, you can now visualize incoming SDK events in real time and instantly verify that your implementation is working as expected.

No more guesswork. No more waiting.

Live Hits significantly improves QA workflows and reduces implementation friction for technical teams.

You can quickly confirm:

  • That events are properly triggered
  • That traffic is correctly allocated
  • That variations are being served as expected

👉 Access in Reporting → Button next to the filter.

Server-Side Reporting: Evolution

AND / OR filter operators

You can now switch between AND / OR operators for multiple values within the same filter type.

This gives you much more flexibility when segmenting your data and running deeper analysis directly inside your reports.

More precise segmentation means more accurate insights.

RevenueIQ*: now available for Server-Side 💰

*RevenueIQ is AB Tasty’s patented statistical engine that transforms experiment results into clear, reliable revenue projections — helping teams move from CRO to true Revenue Optimization by confidently quantifying uplift and ROI for every variation.

RevenueIQ, already available and widely adopted on client-side experimentation, is now live for server-side reports.

You can now project the financial impact of your experiments directly from your server-side reporting.

Available in any report with a transaction goal under the “Revenue stats” tab, RevenueIQ provides:

  • Uplift per visitor: estimated revenue increase per visitor once deployed
  • Uplift per month: projected monthly revenue impact
  • Confidence intervals: lower, median, and upper revenue scenarios
  • Revenue chances to win: probability that the variation will increase revenue

This means clearer decisions, fewer inconclusive experiments, and a direct view of real business impact.

You can confidently quantify and share the ROI of every server-side experiment.

Conclusion

These latest enhancements to Feature Experimentation & Rollouts are designed to empower your teams with greater transparency, flexibility, and actionable insights. With real-time data access, advanced reporting options, and robust revenue projections, you can confidently optimize your experiments and drive measurable business impact.

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