AI-driven commerce is here, and it’s transforming the industry as we know it. With ChatGPT’s recent launch of Instant Checkout, Tradedoubler is setting the standard for what it means to be AI-ready.
For us at Tradedoubler, we see it as the start of a new era. As our CTO, Victoria Normark, puts it:
“AI in commerce is a bit like the microwave. It didn’t make ovens obsolete, people still cook with them every day, but it introduced a faster, more convenient option when speed mattered. Affiliate will play the same role in this new landscape: making sure that whichever way people choose to shop, the right products and offers are there, trusted and visible.”
That perspective sets the tone for how we see this shift: AI isn’t the end of Affiliate Marketing, aka Partner Marketing, it’s the next chapter.
Tradedoubler’s Perspective
At Tradedoubler, we’re not waiting for AI to redefine Partner Marketing, we’re building for it. AI is embedding itself into every step of the consumer journey, and our mission is clear: to make sure our clients and partners are visible, fairly attributed, and rewarded.
At our recent TD Wiesn Summit, CEO Matthias Stadelmeyer outlined our vision:
“To be the most automated and intelligent platform, built to work seamlessly with AI agents in an AI-driven market.”
That statement is our blueprint for action.
What This Means for Partner Marketing
AI will reshape every part of how we operate and create value. For Tradedoubler, this transformation means:
Smarter operations: Automated AI tools will optimise product feeds, streamline internal workflows, and remove inefficiencies across the network.
New traffic sources: AI interactions will generate new forms of traffic beyond traditional search, unlocking discovery through intelligent recommendations and chat-driven experiences.
AI-enhanced platforms: We’re developing AI-integrated features designed to drive engagement, elevate conversion performance, and open up new revenue channels for our partners.
We’re Building Tools for an AI World
To make this vision real, we’re focusing on three core pillars:
Automation-first platform, embedding intelligence into every process to improve speed, accuracy, and scalability.
Centralised, AI-ready data asset, ensuring cleaner, standardised, and structured data that can be surfaced, trusted, and actioned by AI agents.
AI-friendly interfaces (UI & APIs), designing systems that connect seamlessly with AI environments and future-proof our partners’ visibility in AI commerce.
This is how we’re setting the benchmark for what “AI-compatible” really means in Partner Marketing.
“AI is redefining how networks like Tradedoubler deliver value. Our strategy is focused on making our clients AI-visible, ensuring their products and content can be surfaced, trusted, and monetised in these emerging channels. We’re investing heavily in data quality, attribution models, and automation so that our partners are not just prepared for AI-driven commerce but positioned to lead it.” Matthias Stadelmeyer, CEO at Tradedoubler
AI is Raising the Bar for Publishers
ChatGPT’s algorithms consider authority, trustworthiness, and depth of content, so AI will reward Publishers who create genuine, expert-driven content with greater visibility in recommendations, stronger attribution, and ultimately more revenue opportunities.
For years, parts of the affiliate ecosystem have leaned on SEO-driven models built around generic “top 10” lists, recycled product descriptions, or keyword-stuffed articles that rank well but offer little insight or expertise. Instant Checkout changes the game by surfacing the most trusted, substantive sources instead.
Those who provide authentic reviews, real expertise, and trusted insights are best placed to thrive in this new AI world. These voices will become the “trust layer” that AI search models will reference.
Price Will Always Matter
While content models evolve, value will always convert. Promotional-led affiliates, coupon, voucher, and cashback sites remain among the most powerful drivers of consumer action.
And it’s not just about the money saved. Research from Johns Hopkins shows that deal-prone shoppers experience a psychological thrill, that sense of having been clever, of beating the system. This is why Publishers that surface compelling offers will continue to deliver unmatched conversion performance across every channel including AI recommendations.
Technology Is The Enabler
This shift underlines a clear message for networks and Publishers: adapt your technology, or risk being invisible in the AI economy.
AI is changing how content is discovered, how trust is established, and how transactions are attributed. That means the very infrastructure of our industry, product feeds, attribution models, and data quality must evolve rapidly to keep pace.
Those who fail to modernise will struggle to surface. But for those who invest, the rewards are significant: greater visibility, more accurate attribution, and stronger long-term growth.
Looking Ahead
The affiliate industry has always adapted to new channels, from search to social to in-app. AI is simply the next step, and one filled with huge potential for those who embrace change.
At Tradedoubler, we’re building the technology, data infrastructure, and automation that will define the future of Partner Marketing in an AI world.
Quality content will win, value will always convert, and technology will be the difference between being left behind or unlocking growth.
We know which side we’re on.