AI in Commerce: How Seattle Is Shaping the Future of Innovation

AI in Commerce Panel. Right to left: Jonathan G. Blanco, CEO & Founder at Nifmint, Larry Colagiovanni, Head of Shopping at Microsoft AI; and Daniel Mutch, Lead Architect, GenAI at T-Mobile.

July 8, 2025 | Seattle, WA

The future of commerce isn’t just online, it’s intelligent. AI is no longer just a buzzword in boardrooms and investor decks. It’s quietly and rapidly transforming how we shop, how we build products, and how brands engage with consumers.

That’s exactly what we set out to explore at the very first Showroom evening event, hosted in Seattle by Niftmint founder Jonathan G. Blanco. The goal: bring together the region’s retail, tech, and brand innovation leaders to talk about how AI is reshaping commerce and why Seattle is at the center of it.

Why We Launched Showroom: A Commerce Community for Builders

Seattle is home to some of the most influential names in commerce, including Amazon, Microsoft, Nordstrom, REI, and more. But until now, there hasn’t been a community solely dedicated to the builders, brands, and technologists innovating in retail and commerce.

That’s why we created Showroom: a recurring event and community space for entrepreneurs, enterprise leaders, developers, and creators who believe the next big wave of innovation will come from the intersection of technology, business, culture, and commerce.

“There are events for startups. There are events for blockchain. But there’s no consistent community for commerce. That’s what we’re building here.” - Jonathan G. Blanco

Commerce Is How Consumers Meet New Technology

Commerce is the first touchpoint.

Consumers don’t engage with cutting-edge tech through whitepapers; they experience it by shopping. From voice assistants in online checkout to personalized recommendations powered by AI, commerce is often the first way new tech reaches real people.

Shopping is universal.

Everyone shops, regardless of background, industry, or tech fluency. That universality makes commerce the perfect launchpad for introducing complex innovations like generative AI, recommendation engines, and smart search.

Innovation needs scale, and commerce has it.

For new technologies to go mainstream, they need scale and adoption. Commerce delivers both. When applied thoughtfully, AI in commerce can reach millions overnight, improving experiences while driving business value.

The Panel: AI in the Real World of Commerce

We brought two industry leaders to the stage to share how they’re integrating AI into real-world commerce operations:

🎤 Larry Colagiovanni – Head of Shopping at Microsoft AI

Larry leads Microsoft’s shopping experiences across Bing, Edge, and Copilot. His team is using AI to power everything from smarter product discovery to contextual recommendations that help users make better decisions. For example, someone might ask, “How do I use this makeup I just bought?”—and get a helpful, AI-powered response in real time.

Larry is also exploring how AI changes internal workflows. His team is running hackathons to test how product managers and designers will use AI tools over the next year. It’s not just about building AI for users, it’s about rethinking how we build, period.

🎤 Daniel Mutch – Lead Architect, GenAI at T-Mobile

Daniel has been working in AI since long before it was cool, building his first language model 30 years ago. Today, he’s focused on how GenAI can reduce friction across customer support, sales, and digital commerce channels at T-Mobile.

He emphasized that while AI is powerful, it’s only a small part of the equation. Most of the work still comes down to great UX, clean APIs, fast testing cycles, and reliable infrastructure. AI adds value, but it can’t compensate for bad fundamentals.

The Takeaway: AI Isn’t Replacing Commerce, It’s Enhancing It

AI is an enhancer, not a silver bullet.

Both speakers agreed that AI can’t run your entire commerce stack. It works best when added to already strong digital infrastructure, enhancing, not replacing, what great teams have already built.

Strong foundations still matter.

Behind every great AI-powered experience is a solid base: product vision, user-centered design, rigorous testing, and clear metrics. Without those, even the best AI tools fall flat.

The opportunity is in the application.

AI shines brightest when applied with intention. Whether it’s reducing friction, personalizing experiences, or automating support, the magic lies not in the tech but in how you use it to solve real customer problems.

Get Involved: Join the Showroom Movement

Builders wanted.

Showroom is for people building the future of commerce, whether you're creating a product, running a retail operation, or exploring new ways to connect tech with consumer experience. If that’s you, you belong here.

Brands needed.

We’re looking to collaborate with brands that want to explore what’s possible with AI, digital twins, loyalty innovation, and beyond. This is your place to experiment, network, and lead.

Sponsors and volunteers make it happen.

Help us grow. Whether you can contribute time, ideas, or resources, every bit of support matters. Volunteers help run events smoothly, and sponsors help fuel the community.

“The best way to support us is to show up. Come to the next event. Bring a friend. Help us build.”

Join the Next Showroom Event

Whether you’re at a major brand, launching your own startup, or building retail tech, Showroom is your community. Let’s shape the future of commerce together.

We'll see you at Brand and Retail Innovation Day!

Pictures from the Event

Seizing the Moment: Recap of Consensus 2025 in Toronto

This article is a recap from Niftmint Founder, Jonathan G. Blanco, sharing about his recent trip to Consensus in Toronto.

May 20, 2025 | Seattle, WA

Attending Consensus 2025 in Toronto was one of the most memorable and meaningful experiences I’ve had in recent months, equally chaotic, energizing, and reaffirming. From the wild journey to get there to pitching Niftmint on the main stage, it was a trip that tested my patience and rewarded my perseverance.

A Stress Test Disguised as Travel

I should have known the universe was going to throw a few curveballs the moment my flight got delayed.

What started as a standard evening departure quickly devolved into a series of stress-inducing roadblocks, some literal. I arrived within a mile of the airport around 10:15 pm for an 11:50 pm flight. That should’ve been plenty of time. Instead, traffic came to a dead stop. For the next hour, cars barely moved. A few desperate travelers even ditched their rides and sprinted down the freeway with their luggage in hand.

Once I finally reached the terminal at 11:15 pm, the fun continued. TSA PreCheck? Closed. Regular TSA? Initially three lanes, until they inexplicably closed two. The walk-through metal detector? Broken. I got rerouted to the full-body scanner. Then the guy in front of me needed a pat-down. Then my bag was flagged for protein powder.

By the time I cleared security, it was 11:32 pm. I sprinted through the terminal to my gate at the very end of the concourse. They were boarding the final groups.

I caught the flight. But just barely. What followed was a 3.5-hour layover that had me wandering the airport at 3 am Pacific Time. Not exactly the glamorous side of startup life, but this is what it takes. I kept telling myself: I love traveling for work. I love the journey.

Pitching Niftmint in the Semifinals

Once I arrived in Toronto, the pace didn’t slow down. Niftmint had been selected as one of the 40 startups to pitch at the Consensus 2025 PitchFest, hosted by CoinDesk. These 40 were split into five groups, and only the winner of each group would move on to the finals.

Backstage, getting mic'd up before stepping out, I felt the nerves kick in—but in a good way. The kind that tells you what you’re about to do matters.

My pitch went smoothly. I followed a structured format but gave myself the freedom to adapt in the moment. That flexibility, I believe, was key.

Later that day, I found out I won my group.

From hundreds of applicants down to forty, then to five, Niftmint was now in the final six startups competing for the grand prize. It was a huge honor and a big moment for our team.

The Final Round

Finals day brought a fresh wave of energy and pressure.

The format was the same, but the stakes were higher. The room was packed. The judges were sharp. And each founder brought their A-game.

Once again, I delivered the pitch with clarity, composure, and confidence. I hit the key points about how Niftmint empowers brands to tokenize physical products and unlock new layers of customer engagement. I could feel the audience’s energy, and after the pitch, many people came up to me with words of encouragement and curiosity.

In the end, I didn’t win. Congratulations to ChainPatrol for taking the top spot—they earned it.

But I left that stage with no regrets. I had shared Niftmint’s vision in one of the most visible settings in Web3. And the feedback I received—both in-person and online—validated that we’re building something that resonates.

Beyond the Mainstage: Side Events and Serendipitous Conversations

While the main conference delivered incredible programming, the side events were just as impactful. Toronto’s blockchain scene was buzzing—literally and figuratively—with after-hours gatherings, investor mixers, and networking dinners that brought together builders, investors, and curious onlookers.

I reconnected with folks I met last year, caught up with fellow founders, and had valuable conversations with people outside the crypto space, exactly the audience I’ve been wanting to engage with as we expand Niftmint’s reach to brands beyond Web3.

Toronto remains one of my favorite cities to travel to, and the way the community showed up only solidified that sentiment.

Takeaways from Consensus 2025

Consensus 2025 welcomed over 14,000 attendees from 100+ countries, making it one of the most globally diverse and well-attended blockchain events of the year. The themes ranged from the rise of stablecoins and evolving crypto regulations to real-world asset tokenization and the convergence of AI and blockchain.

For Niftmint, it was a timely reminder that what we’re building—bridging the gap between traditional products and digital ownership—has a growing audience and demand. As brands seek new ways to authenticate goods, engage customers, and explore digital value, Niftmint is positioned at the intersection of opportunity and innovation.

Final Thoughts

I didn’t leave Toronto with a trophy, but I left with something more valuable: momentum.

The pitch competition was a moment, but the real work continues. And I’m excited to keep pushing forward.

Thank you to CoinDesk for the platform, the judges for their time, and everyone who supported and encouraged me along the way. Let’s keep building.

If you’re a brand looking to explore tokenization or want to learn how Niftmint can help you create deeper engagement through product authentication, let’s talk.

Until next time, Toronto.