Artificial intelligence is transforming how teams work with product data. But not all AI is built on the same foundation.
Some PIM platforms add AI as a tool to speed up existing workflows. Others, like Bluestone PIM, build the entire system around it.
This is what we call real Agentic PIM: where artificial intelligence understands context, makes decisions, and performs actions across the product data ecosystem.
In this article, we’ll explore how Inriver uses AI to support product data operations and how Bluestone PIM takes it further by building a truly agentic and open platform.
AI Capabilities: Inriver vs Bluestone PIM Comparative Analysis
The fundamental difference between Inriver and Bluestone PIM is architectural.
Inriver integrates AI into an existing, legacy structure, which limits how deeply AI can interact with the platform.
In contrast, Bluestone PIM is built from the ground up as an API-first platform.
Every function in Bluestone PIM communicates with AI, creating a fluid, collaborative environment where artificial intelligence operates across the entire product lifecycle.
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Aspect
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Inriver
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Bluestone PIM
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AI Foundation
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Added within existing workflows
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Built AI-first and mature API-first
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AI Type
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Guided and controlled automation
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Real agentic AI capable of autonomous actions
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Core AI Tools
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Inspire Generate & Translate; glossary guidance; co-pilot suggestions
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AI Agent, AI Enrich, AI Linguist, AI Analyst, AI Templates (modular and composable extensions)
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Human Involvement
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Mandatory review before publishing
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Human-in-the-loop optional; AI can act autonomously under rules
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Connectivity
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MCP server with limited exchange of data
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Open API with over 700 endpoints and MCP-ready for multi-agent orchestration
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AI Model Policy
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AI features embedded into workflows with GPT‑5 models
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AI-agnostic – use any AI model or provider you prefer
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Natural‑language interface
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No native conversational interface; relies on form‑based workflow tasks
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With AI Agent, you can simply ask questions or give instructions in plain language and see results instantly.
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Vision
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Embedded AI in fixed workflows
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Agentic and composable, with comprehensive API endpoints coverage
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What does this mean for e-commerce teams?
- Inriver’s AI helps you work faster by automating existing tasks.
- Bluestone PIM helps you work smarter by letting the AI Agent and AI Analyst understand your data, improve it, and act across the system with a level of autonomy.
Why Bluestone PIM Is the First True Agentic PIM
Legacy PIM systems treat AI as a bolt-on tool for tasks like content generation or translation. In contrast, Bluestone PIM’s agentic AI is built into the fabric of the platform, empowering:
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Autonomous data import, enrichment, translation, and validation
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Real-time decision-making based on your business logic
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Communication with external systems (using MCPs), eliminating data silos
Agentic AI like Bluestone PIM understands your intent and goals, plans the next step, asks for confirmation when needed, and acts within your policies.
💡 By 2028, Gartner expects around a third of enterprise software to use this kind of intelligence and Bluestone PIM is already there.
Why Does API-First Architecture Matter for You in a PIM Platform?
Bluestone PIM was designed API-first, meaning every function, feature, and data flow is accessible through a documented API.
Nothing is hidden behind the interface, every element can connect, exchange information, or trigger actions programmatically.
That openness is what makes an Agentic PIM possible.
AI agents need freedom to act: to read, analyse, and update product data in real time.
Bluestone PIM AI Capabilities
Bluestone PIM already offers a strong set of AI features that product teams use every day:
- AI Enrich transforms raw product data into rich, persuasive descriptions.
- AI Linguist translates and refines content across multiple languages.
- AI Analyst scans product records for errors, inconsistencies, and missing values.
- AI Templates let teams reuse successful prompts and configurations for consistent results.
Bluestone PIM goes beyond AI that assists, it moves to AI that acts. The idea is simple: work should flow through conversation, not configuration.
That’s what Bluestone PIM's AI Agent delivers.
In this video, you’ll see how the first real AI Agent in PIM software works using natural language commands:
Natural Language Interfaces in PIM
Forget dropdowns and endless filters. Just ask, and the system understands.
“Check this catalogue and tell me what’s missing.” “Sync the latest product feed and alert me if data quality drops.”
Whether you’re a product manager or developer, this brings the same power to everyone: making complex workflows accessible through simple language.
The AI Agent doesn’t just interpret requests, but it also executes them. It turns natural speech into action inside the platform, helping users move from searching for information to achieving results instantly.
AI Agents in PIM That Work for You
Imagine managing thousands of products from multiple suppliers. Instead of spending hours on imports and checks, you say:
“Sync new products from this supplier, analyse data quality, and send me a report.”
The AI Agent handles it end-to-end:
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connecting to your PIM
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validating data
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enforcing business rules
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delivering a clean summary
What makes this transformative is how seamlessly it fits into your existing setup.
Bluestone PIM AI features (Enrich, Linguist, Analyst, Templates) stay where they are, but the AI Agent soon will be able to orchestrate them automatically, deciding which to use and when.
That’s the huge step from guided automation to agentic intelligence.
AI as the New UX: A New Era for PIM
Until now, enterprise systems divided the world between UIs for users and APIs for developers. Agentic AI removes that barrier. It becomes the shared layer between people, systems, and data.
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Developers expose capabilities through MCP-enabled APIs.
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Business users access those capabilities through natural language.
Enterprises scale faster as the system anticipates problems, suggests actions, and resolves them autonomously.
This is AI as a new kind of user experience: a PIM that thinks, communicates, and acts with you.
It’s the next step in moving from traditional AI features to a truly agentic PIM.
Inriver’s Approach in Perspective
Inriver’s approach to AI is more traditional.
The platform uses embedded features — Inspire Generate, Inspire Translate, and a contextual co-pilot — to support product enrichment and translation. These tools automate content creation within defined workflows, while human review remains a mandatory step before publication.
This method keeps processes safe and consistent but limits how far AI can go.
Inriver’s AI acts as a non-agentic, guided assistant — capable of helping users within the workflow but not acting independently to use tools or operate across the system.
The result is a form of AI that accelerates manual work but doesn’t evolve into autonomy.
AI in E-Commerce
How to Compare AI Agents in PIM Systems
Which PIM Platform Leads the Way in AI?
Both vendors recognise the value of AI in product information management, but their directions differ.
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Inriver focuses on guided, rule-based automation within fixed workflows.
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Bluestone PIM offers a composable, augentic ecosystem built for autonomy and context.
As AI becomes central to digital commerce, the choice comes down to philosophy:
Do you want automation that follows instructions, or intelligence that understands your goals and acts with you?
For organisations preparing for the next stage of digital product management, Bluestone PIM offers a clear path forward with AI-first by design, not by addition.
