Shop AI has secured £750,000 in funding led by Haatch to advance its conversational business intelligence platform.”
The startup, led by former Jisp executive Ilann Hepworth, is transforming how businesses interact with data by replacing traditional dashboards with natural language interfaces.
“Microsoft charges per person, we charge per platform. That’s the difference between improving old systems and creating new categories.”
Platform Architecture Eliminates AI Hallucination
Shop AI’s technology differentiates itself through an architecture designed to prevent AI hallucination, a common problem in conversational AI systems. The platform allows users to access complex data insights through text, voice, and video interactions, eliminating the technical expertise traditionally required for business intelligence tools.
The Wholesale Group has already deployed Shop AI’s technology through its Jake AI solution, designed specifically for wholesale members and supplier partners. Tom Gittins, Joint Managing Director at The Wholesale Group, noted the transformative impact:
‘Unlike traditional BI tools that require technical expertise, Jake AI makes data access more conversational.’
Strategic Investment Signals Market Shift
Haatch’s investment positions the venture capital firm at the forefront of AI-driven data strategies as businesses seek simpler ways to handle data complexities. The funding comes as companies increasingly look to replace dashboard-heavy systems with more intuitive interfaces.
Shop AI’s per-platform pricing model contrasts with traditional per-user licensing, potentially offering cost advantages for organisations with large user bases. The company’s approach focuses on creating new product categories rather than incrementally improving existing business intelligence solutions.
Wholesale Industry Transformation
The Jake AI implementation demonstrates practical applications of conversational BI in industry settings. Wholesale members and supplier partners can now query complex datasets using natural language, making data insights accessible to non-technical users across the supply chain.
This deployment represents a broader shift toward augmenting human expertise with artificial intelligence rather than replacing it, according to company leadership.
Market Position and Growth Trajectory
The substantial ROI figures and successful early deployments indicate strong market validation for Shop AI’s approach. The company’s focus on conversational interfaces addresses long-standing usability challenges in traditional business intelligence platforms.
With Hepworth’s industry experience from Jisp and The Wholesale Group’s active deployment of Jake AI, Shop AI appears positioned to capitalise on growing demand for more accessible data analytics tools.
The funding round underscores investor confidence in conversational AI applications for business intelligence, particularly as organisations seek to democratize data access across their operations.
