8 Real-Life Examples of How AI is used in Business

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer futuristic technology. It has quickly become the powerhouse driving smarter decisions, leaner operations, and better customer experience across industries. Companies that embrace AI are outperforming the competition and redefining what it means to be a business in 2025. I. Real-world use cases are emerging every day, proving that AI gives brands a competitive advantage.

1. Retail: Personalizing the Customer Experience with AI

Amazon Personalize

With Amazon Personalize, the retailer leverages AI to deliver personalized product recommendations to its customers. This goes beyond its traditional “Frequently Bought Together” lists. Using machine learning models, Amazon analyzes a wide range of data signals, including:

• Browsing behavior
• Purchase history
• Device and location data
• Item metadata
• Trending items among similar users

Integrating Amazon Personalize has brought noticeable results for businesses. One Amazon retailer, Viewlift, saw a 24% boost in clicks. Dress the Population was also impressed with its results, boosting its conversion rate by 28% within 14 days of implementation.

2. Beauty: Personalized Shopping with AR and AI

Sephora

Artificial intelligence has also improved the shopping experience for Sephora customers. The company’s Virtual Artist app uses a combination of AI and augmented reality to match makeup to skin tones and let customers try products before buying. The app also incorporates social sharing features to make it easy for users to show off their virtual makeovers.

When it was first introduced nearly a decade ago, Sephora’s Virtual Artist drove a 90% increase in conversions. Globally, the company attracted 8.5 million visitors to its AR experiences. 

3. Financial Services: AI Fraud Detection and Risk Management

Mastercard

AI in business is especially valuable in financial services, where it can prevent significant financial losses to organizations and consumers. Being able to detect and stop fraud early is key to minimizing damage. Mastercard’s Consumer Fraud Risk solution uses generative AI to detect suspicious activity across billions of transactions, helping identify patterns, predict emerging threats, and alert financial institutions when a card is at risk.

This technology has enabled Mastercard to:

• Double its rate of compromised card detection
• Reduce false positives by as much as 200% when flagging transactions
• Identify at-risk or compromised merchants 300% faster

According to Mastercard, artificial intelligence enables faster, more accurate fraud detection. It benefits cardholders, merchants, and banks by reducing fraud and keeping unnecessary card declines to a minimum.

4. Healthcare: AI for Diagnostics and Patient Care

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic has invested heavily in AI, using it to improve diagnostics, treatment, and patient care. The medical center has more than 200 AI applications across cardiology, oncology, neurology, mental health, and preventive care, combining clinical and data expertise to improve patient outcomes.

Mayo Clinic’s reports the following benefits from its AI initiatives:

• Earlier detection of conditions like heart disease, cancer, and neuromuscular disorders
• Fewer misdiagnoses and faster time-to-treatment
• Increased personalization of care plans based on patient-specific data
• Greater access to specialized care through digital and remote care models

» Interested in Revolutionary Agentic AI applications in healthcare

5. Logistics: AI for Supply Chain Optimization

UPS

United Parcel Service (UPS) drivers have an AI-powered navigation tool called UPS ORION (On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation). ORION’s algorithms optimize deliveries based on driver behavior, package volume, traffic data, and road conditions. This includes their well-known no-left-turn policy, which reduces accidents and time wasted at traffic lights.

Since deploying ORION nationwide, UPS has seen the following operational improvements:

• Eliminated more than 100 million miles of driving per year, reducing fuel use and emissions
• Achieved an estimated $300–$400 million in annual cost savings
• Cut 100,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually

Updates to ORION have brought additional benefits, including reducing driving distance by two to four miles per day on top of earlier gains of eight miles saved per route. Overall, ORION has helped UPS improve delivery speed and fuel efficiency while also reducing wear on vehicles and increasing customer satisfaction.

6. Hospitality: AI-Powered Personalized Customer Offers

Starbucks

Starbucks harnesses artificial intelligence through its Deep Brew platform to personalize the customer experience and streamline operations. Deep Brew uses data such as time of day and frequency of customer visits to deliver tailored beverage and food recommendations in its popular app. The technology also uses forecasted demand to optimize staffing and inventory decisions.

Thanks to AI technology, Starbucks has reportedly been able to increase loyalty program engagement as customers receive more relevant offers. Loyalty program members also spend more per visit, highlighting the need to nurture that segment of its customer base.

7. Technology: AI-Powered IT Management and Automation

Atera

Atera demonstrates the power of AI in business by transforming the way IT departments operate, scale, and support distributed workforces. Its all-in-one platform, RMM/PSA, uses AI to automate IT ticket resolution, eliminate repetitive manual tasks, and reduce technician workload.

How Atera’s AI tools empower IT teams:

• AI Copilot helps technicians work faster by generating scripts and resolutions
• Robin resolves end-user issues automatically before they reach the IT team

Additionally, Atera uses predictive analytics and proactive monitoring to detect issues early, minimizing downtime.

Using Atera’s Robin, businesses can resolve as much as 40% of their IT workload, including up to 80% of their Tier 1 tickets. At the same time, AI Copilot reduces the time teams spend on scripting, troubleshooting, and ticket handling. Atera’s per-technician pricing model makes it easy to scale without adding more personnel, saving businesses money.

8. Marketing and Customer Service: AI for Personalization and Support

Netflix

Netflix relies on a sophisticated set of AI-powered technologies, including its foundational personalized recommendation system and dynamic thumbnail personalization. These systems use viewing behavior, ratings, behavior patterns of similar users, and other signals to deliver the most relevant content.

The benefits of this approach are substantial. Up to 80% of views are tied to these recommendations, and some sources estimate that the technology saves the company as much as $1 billion each year.

Final Thoughts: The Future of AI in Business

The use of AI in business is widespread, and use cases range from lowering costs and boosting efficiency to reducing fraud and enhancing security. For IT teams, Atera’s AI-powered platform makes the technology both accessible and immediately impactful. By automating Tier 1 support, reducing ticket volume, and enabling proactive service delivery, Atera can empower your IT team by reducing repetitive tasks, freeing up professionals to focus on strategic initiatives.