AI-powered search and discovery have moved from emerging capability to core infrastructure in B2B ecommerce, with 83% of companies’ sellers now prioritizing AI when selecting search tools, according to Algolia’s 2026 B2B Ecommerce Site Search Trends Report.
It based the report on a survey of 300 senior business and technology decision-makers across North America and Europe. The Algolia report underscores how quickly AI is reshaping how B2B companies sell, serve customers and operate internally.
Overall, 71% of respondents said they are already using AI in their ecommerce operations. That’s up from 67% in 2025. Adoption is also deepening systemic use of AI across multiple workflows, which increased to 20% from 13% a year earlier, signaling a shift from pilot programs to broader deployment.
Despite that momentum, B2B commerce remains heavily tied to traditional sales channels. Online sales account for an average of 27.5% of total revenue, while offline channels still generate the remaining 72.5%. Respondents said customer preference (62%), personalized service (41%) and the need for a hands-on buying experience (41%) continue to anchor offline sales.
Rather than replacing those channels, companies are using AI and search to support them.
71% of respondents said they plan to increase investment in digital transformation over the next year, while 62% said advanced technologies already support most of their business processes.
The survey included respondents from manufacturing and wholesale distribution sectors, including durable and non-durable goods. More than half represented companies with more than $200 million in annual revenue and more than 1,000 employees.
How B2B sellers are using AI search in their workflows
AI is increasingly being applied to practical, high-impact use cases. 34% of respondents said they are using AI to automate order processing, up from 23% in 2025. Another 33% said they are using it to streamline operations and reduce costs, up from 12%. Meanwhile, 32% said they are using AI to personalize customer experiences and recommendations, up from 15%.
Search and discovery are central to those efforts. 44% of respondents identified site search and discovery as a top priority, ahead of ecommerce functionality (37%), support search (37%) and app search (30%).
Companies say rising customer expectations are driving that focus. 44% cited higher expectations as a key reason to invest in search capabilities, while 36% pointed to increasing competition and another 36% cited the need to improve the online customer experience.
Even as AI adoption accelerates, companies are prioritizing foundational improvements. 58% of respondents said streamlining the checkout process is the most important immediate step to improve ecommerce performance. That was followed by optimizing mobile app performance (46%) and improving product presentation (38%).
Security remains a significant concern. 40% of respondents said online security needs improvement, while 30% identified it as a major barrier to digital transformation. Concerns about AI-generated content are also rising, with 75% reporting at least some level of concern about intellectual property and copyright risks.
Cost and complexity continue to slow broader adoption. 33% of respondents cited high implementation costs as a barrier to AI adoption, 29% pointed to uncertainty around return on investment and 24% said integration with existing systems remains difficult.
Even with those challenges, the report points to a clear shift in strategy: AI and search are becoming foundational to B2B ecommerce, not optional enhancements. Companies are increasingly using them to deliver more consumer-like buying experiences, expand self-service capabilities and improve both front-end engagement and back-end efficiency.
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