AI Meets E-Commerce: An Interview with Martin Balaam, Co-Founder & CEO of Pimberly

Profile
Name: Martin Balaam
Position: Co-Founder & CEO
Industry: AI-Powered Product Information Management (PIM), E-Commerce Technology
Location: New York, USA
Website: www.pimberly.com

The recent appointment of Instacart’s CEO, Fidji Simo, as Head of Applications at OpenAI signals a strategic shift in the AI landscape, emphasizing the integration of AI into consumer-facing applications. This move underscores the growing convergence of AI and e-commerce, highlighting the transformative potential of AI in enhancing product discovery and customer experience.

To delve deeper into this intersection, we spoke with Martin Balaam, Co-Founder and CEO of Pimberly. With a rich background in technology and a keen focus on AI-driven solutions for e-commerce, Martin offers valuable insights into how AI is reshaping the digital retail landscape.

Q: Martin, could you share your journey leading up to the founding of Pimberly and what inspired you to venture into AI-powered PIM solutions?

Prior to starting Pimberly, I was acting CEO of Jigsaw24, the UK’s largest Apple and Adobe Systems Integrator and provider of IT solutions to the Creative, Education, and Retail sector. Additionally, I am co-owner of my family business, Welcome Furniture, the UK’s largest manufacturer, distributor & retailer of ready assembled bedroom furniture.

Uniquely being on both sides of the table – an IT solutions provider and owner of a vertically integrated brand, I saw firsthand how manual product data processes were slowing down growth for retailers and brands. When I founded Pimberly, I was determined to bring machine learning and intelligent automation into the heart of product information management to eliminate those bottlenecks. 

It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how AI can turn complex catalogs into real-time, customer-ready experiences.

Q: How does Pimberly leverage AI to enhance product information management and support eCommerce businesses?

At Pimberly, we weave AI into every stage of the PIM process—from automated attribute extraction to smart data enrichment and dynamic content generation (i.e. SEO-optimized product descriptions, attribution & features). Our AI models analyze images, parses unstructured text, and suggest the best product descriptors, which means teams spend less time on low value activities and more time delighting their customers and improving got to market strategy strategy. 

Ultimately, we make it easy for brands to get accurate, engaging product stories live across all their channels in multiple languages and hyper- personalized in minutes, not weeks.

Q: In what ways is AI transforming product discovery and personalization in online retail?

With online retail, AI-powered search now understands context and intent, so customers can search with natural, everyday language or even by uploading images and get pinpoint results. 

On the personalization side, machine learning models are now able to build unique shopper profiles in real time, tailoring product recommendations, pricing, and promotions to each individual. The result shoppers are currently seeing is a discovery experience that feels less like browsing and more like a curated and, above all, human one‑to‑one shopping trip.

Q: How does AI contribute to creating more engaging and personalized customer experiences in e‑commerce?

By leveraging AI to analyze past behavior, cart history, and even browsing patterns, brands can deliver hyper‑relevant content and offers at exactly the right moment. With Pimberly, we use generative AI to enable brands to craft personalized product descriptions and visuals, so each customer sees a product ‘narrative’ that resonates with their interests. It’s like having a personal shopper—and copywriter—working 24/7 to keep engagement high.

Q: Can you provide examples of how Pimberly’s AI features have improved customer engagement or operational efficiency for your clients?

One of our retail clients saw a 30% uplift in click‑through rates when they used our AI‑driven attribute enrichment to power more accurate filter options online. Another sportswear brand cut their manual data entry time by more than 70% after switching on our image recognition and auto‑tagging engine. Both reported smoother launches into new markets, because AI ensured every product detail was channel‑ready from day one.

Q: What trends do you foresee in the integration of AI within e‑commerce platforms over the next few years?

We’ll likely see AI move from reactive personalization to more proactive ‘shopping assistants’ that predict needs before the customer even knows what those are. Voice and visual commerce will mature with their level of interactivity, letting shoppers engage with catalogs through natural speech or images alone. 

And as data privacy evolves, AI will also play a crucial role in delivering compliant, yet still highly personalized experiences (i.e. on-device learning).

Q: How is Pimberly preparing to adapt to and shape these emerging trends?

Pimberly is investing heavily in cutting-edge AI capabilities so that brands can offer even more personalized experiences directly in their mobile apps and online storefronts without sending sensitive data to the cloud. Our dev team is also exploring multimodal AI—combining text, image, and even video metadata—to unlock entirely new discovery channels and ways in which brands can present their products to prospective customers. 

Through our open, API‑first platform, we’re ensuring that our clients can plug in the latest AI engines as they emerge.

Q: Drawing from your experience, what qualities are essential for leaders navigating the evolving landscape of AI and e‑commerce?

From my experience, I can confidently say that both curiosity and adaptability are non‑negotiables—AI is moving incredibly fast, and leaders need to stay learning to stay ahead. Leaders also need a strong ethical compass to expertly balance personalization with privacy, ensuring they build trust with customers. 

Finally, maintaining empathy for both your end-users and your internal team helps ground your AI strategy in real‑world needs rather than just having the technology for the sake of having it.

Q: What advice would you offer to businesses looking to implement AI‑driven solutions in their e‑commerce strategies?

The first piece of advice I’d offer is to start small with a clear problem statement—whether that’s reducing cart abandonment or speeding up data onboarding—and measure the impact before scaling. Understand the ROI before taking any major leaps and ensure that it is, in fact, the best fit for your business above the other available solutions.

Additionally, I’d suggest investing in quality data governance; AI is only as good as the data it pulls from—so clean, consistent product data is your foundation. Finally, it’s a best practice to partner with vendors who offer flexibility and transparency in their AI models, so you retain control over how those algorithms shape your customer experience and never feel adrift.

Closing:

Thank you, Martin, for sharing your insights on the evolving synergy between AI and e-commerce. As AI continues to permeate consumer applications, companies like Pimberly are at the forefront, driving innovation and enhancing the digital shopping experience. Your perspective offers valuable guidance for businesses aiming to harness AI’s potential in the e-commerce realm.