Navigating Change in the E-commerce Industry: A Personal Reflection on the Rise of AI

As I reflect on my journey in the eCommerce industry, I find myself at a pivotal moment—one where uncertainty looms larger than ever before. At 30 years old, I’ve spent over half my life immersed in this dynamic field, starting my path at just 14. Since then, I’ve climbed the ranks within various eCommerce agencies, transitioning from roles in sales to becoming the Director of Partnerships at my current agency. My experience spans responsibilities in web development and design, large-scale SEO initiatives, and comprehensive eCommerce marketing campaigns, with project budgets varying dramatically—from $20,000 to over $1 million.

However, as I observe the rapid evolution spurred by Artificial Intelligence, I can’t help but feel a sense of trepidation about the future of our industry. The changes seem to accelerate almost daily, reshaping careers and workflows in ways I never anticipated.

One striking example comes from a previous agency where I witnessed a significant reduction in their copywriting team—down from 25 writers to just 4 within a couple of years. This drastic shift was driven by AI tools capable of producing written content with remarkable efficiency. The agency now manages to generate higher billable hours than before, primarily due to the automation that has redefined how they approach SEO. Automation has made it feasible to replace many junior positions, with a focus on having lead writers refine AI-generated content to ensure compliance with copyright standards.

In another instance, I learned that an agency had completely replaced its U.S. development team with remote developers from Latin America, relying heavily on platforms like ChatGPT for streamlined communication and project management. This trend underscores an overarching theme: the growing reliance on AI is not just enhancing productivity but is also reshaping the fundamental structure of our teams and the roles within them.

While I don’t foresee a total collapse of the industry, the trajectory is distinctly clear—automation is becoming a driving force. AI is capable of generating websites directly from design briefs, creating code for upsell implementations at an unprecedented speed, and reshaping traditional SEO practices through prompt-based search innovations.

Faced with this ever-evolving landscape, I find myself contemplating my next steps. I’m currently pursuing my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and considering a transition back into a senior project management role—potentially in a different industry altogether. The field I’ve long known is transforming, and while the future remains uncertain