eBay has announced a new £3 million initiative — ‘AI Activate’ — developed in partnership with OpenAI, aimed at helping up to 10,000 UK small businesses use artificial intelligence to boost productivity and growth.
The programme gives eligible eBay sellers up to 12 months’ free access to ChatGPT Enterprise and a suite of custom AI tools designed specifically for ecommerce. Participants will also receive tailored training sessions on how to use AI to automate admin and finance tasks, generate marketing materials, analyse sales data, and improve product listings.
According to eBay, the initiative responds to strong interest in AI among UK small business owners. Research conducted by the company found that while nearly seven in ten online businesses feel positive about AI, many remain uncertain about how to integrate it effectively.
Eve Williams, eBay UK’s General Manager, said that AI adoption is now “an urgent competitive issue” for small businesses:
“Those businesses and economies that don’t invest in AI now risk being left behind…We want British small businesses to win nationally and globally — which means the latest AI tools cannot be the preserve of big business.”
The initiative builds on eBay’s growing use of AI internally and across its marketplace. The company says that more than 10 million sellers worldwide have already used eBay’s generative AI tools to create over 300 million listings, contributing several billion dollars of gross merchandise value.
The AI Activate programme launches in November 2025, with pre-registration now open to UK business sellers on a first-come, first-served basis. You can learn more about the initiative here.
Why this matters to merchants
The AI Activate initiative gives eBay merchants free access to enterprise-grade AI tools for a significant period of time — helping them automate admin, improve listings, and create marketing content faster. It also allows them to test and adopt advanced AI at no cost, potentially gaining an edge over competitors still figuring out how to use the technology.
Chris Singleton is the Founder and Director of Ecommercetrix.
Since graduating from Trinity College Dublin in 1999, Chris has advised many businesses on how to grow their operations via a strong online presence, and now he shares his experience and expertise through his articles on the Ecommercetrix website.
Chris started his career as a data analyst for Irish marketing company Precision Marketing Information; since then he has worked on digital projects for a wide range of well-known organizations including Cancer Research UK, Hackney Council, Data Ireland and Prescription PR. He then went on to found the popular business apps review site Style Factory, followed by Ecommercetrix.
He is also the author of a book on SEO for beginners, “Super Simple SEO.”