AI is everywhere in eCommerce conversations today. From personalization to automation and chatbots, it’s often presented as the next big growth lever. Yet for many businesses, the real challenge is not access to AI tools, but understanding where they actually create measurable impact.
Igor Ilievski, CEO of Amenex, brings a practical perspective to this topic. With more than 20 years of experience in eCommerce and over $500M in generated online revenue, he works closely with brands to improve conversion, optimize customer journeys, and implement AI solutions that deliver real business results.
During the Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026, Igor shared insights into how AI is being used in practice today, where it truly drives growth, and how eCommerce companies can move beyond experimentation to build solutions that improve both customer experience and revenue.
During your session at Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026, what were the key insights attendees gained about AI innovation in eCommerce?
Attendees gained a practical perspective on how AI is being used in eCommerce to improve customer experience, support buying decisions, automate key journeys, and drive revenue.
I shared real applications, not theory – where AI is creating value today, where it is often misunderstood, and how brands can use it in ways that are commercially meaningful.
There is a lot of hype around AI in eCommerce. From your experience, which applications actually drive measurable growth today?
The AI use cases driving real growth today are the ones closest to conversion: personalization, product discovery, shopping assistance, and support automation.
Tools like Nosto, Algolia, and Gorgias are good examples of where brands are already using AI to make shopping more relevant, remove friction, and improve conversion.
The biggest impact usually comes when AI helps shoppers find the right product, get the right answer, and make a decision faster.
You work on AI solutions like shopping assistants and personalization tools. Where do you see the biggest impact on customer experience and conversion rates?
The biggest impact is where AI helps remove hesitation from the buying journey.
In practice, that means giving shoppers timely answers, helping them narrow choices, guiding them to the right product, and making the experience feel more relevant and responsive.
From a conversion standpoint, the strongest results tend to come from supporting the moments where people are unsure or close to dropping off.
When AI helps shoppers move forward with more clarity and confidence, both customer experience and conversion improve.
Many companies experiment with AI but fail to scale it. What are the most common mistakes businesses make when implementing AI in eCommerce?
The most common mistake is starting with the technology instead of the business problem.
A lot of companies adopt AI because it sounds strategic, but they do it without a clear use case, owner, or success metric.
The other big mistake is treating AI like a side experiment instead of integrating it into real customer journeys, operations, and decision-making.
In eCommerce, AI scales when it solves a specific problem, fits into the workflow, and is tied to measurable outcomes like conversion, efficiency, or revenue.
As eCommerce continues to evolve across technology, customer behavior, operations, and digital growth, conversations like these will once again be a key part of Balkan eCommerce Summit 2027, where industry leaders, brands, and innovators from across the region will come together to exchange ideas, practical insights, and real-world experience.
More information about the upcoming edition is available at balkanecommerce.com