B2B Retailers and Manufacturers Show Strong Gains in AI-Driven eCommerce, Study Finds

August 05, 2025 at 09:00 AM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lucidworks, the leading AI-powered search and product discovery provider, today released new B2B-focused findings from its third annual Generative AI Global Benchmark Study, a comprehensive report of 1,600+ AI leaders and 1,100+ company websites.

The data show that B2B companies—including manufacturers of semiconductors, industrial equipment, automotive parts, pharmaceuticals, and other products serving business customers —are doubling down on AI investments, with 68% planning to increase AI spending in 2025. These investments contrast sharply with retail (58%), healthcare (44%), and financial services (55%), which are all scaling back.

According to Michael Sinoway, CEO of Lucidworks, the reason is that manufacturers are seeing superior returns from a foundation-first approach.

"B2B companies never chase trends. They pragmatically adjust to market needs and are now taking that same approach with AI,” explained Sinoway. “They're investing in AI where it's already delivering real value. While other industries got caught up in the generative AI hype cycle, B2B sectors focused on fundamentals first, and now they're reaping the rewards."

Foundation-First Strategy Delivers Superior Results
Despite deploying fewer advanced capabilities like agentic AI (23% of B2B compared with 34% in B2C), B2B manufacturers reported better outcomes:

37% of B2B companies report significant AI benefits vs. 33% in B2C
Essential capabilities deliver 2X greater conversion impact than advanced AI features
AI cost discipline: 49% use commercial models, 30% combine commercial and open-source, 21% use open-source only

Key Manufacturing Advantages:

Language support leads B2C: 52% of B2B vs 38% of B2C offer multiple languages
Stronger search foundations: 57% have deployed vector/hybrid search capabilities
Cost discipline: B2B players are using premium AI models only for high-value tasks while leveraging open-source for routine queries

Industry Anxiety Peaks
Cross-industry concern about generative AI has exploded, with 83% of leaders reporting "major" or "extreme" worry in 2025 (up from just 10% in 2023). Top concerns:

Deployment costs: 18X increase since 2023
Data security: 3X increase
Response accuracy: 8X increase

Company Assessments:
Using Lucidworks' proprietary "Guydbot" AI agent, researchers conducted the first objective evaluation of actual AI implementations across 1,100+ company websites, spanning 48 industries. Leaders in B2B by total capabilities deployed include:

Software: Microsoft (71%), IQVIA (63%)
Semiconductors: Silicon Labs (69%), NVIDIA (65%), Infineon (63%)
Computer Equipment: Hewlett-Packard (71%), Pure Storage (60%)

Download the complete B2B analysis here.

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