IEAT and Amazon Release 2026 Cross-Border E-Commerce Report, Focusing on AI and Global Brand Expansion

On October 29, 2026, the Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei (IEAT) and Amazon Global Selling jointly released the 2026 Cross-Border E-Commerce Focus Report at the Amazon Cross-Border E-Commerce Summit. Based on a survey of 419 companies, the report presents five product innovation methods: “identify needs, validate, build a brand, scale results, and leverage AI,” and calls on companies to use AI tools to strengthen their global operations capabilities.

Among these methods, market demand research is a point worth noting. The report indicates that only 18.6% of Taiwanese companies systematically research market demand. This finding highlights a fundamental question that warrants attention: before discussing global brand expansion and operational growth, have companies established an ongoing, systematic mechanism for researching demand?

From demand research to brand building, validation is key

The methods proposed in the report provide a framework for understanding the link between product innovation and global brand expansion: after identifying needs, companies also need to validate whether those needs can inform product decisions, and then use those insights to advance brand building and scale results. From this perspective, the value of demand research lies not only in identifying opportunities, but also in providing a basis for subsequent investment.

However, the 18.6% figure reflects the extent to which companies systematically research market demand. It does not mean that the remaining companies conduct no market research at all, nor does it support conclusions about their performance in overseas markets. The figure is better understood as an indication of the scope for developing research mechanisms, rather than as a measure of success or failure in global brand expansion.

The impact of AI requires application to specific business processes

In light of the report’s focus on demand research, one area worth examining in relation to AI enablement is whether tools can help companies organize demand information more effectively, develop product hypotheses that can be validated, and apply research findings to product and brand decisions. If these processes improve, the effects of AI may then extend to global operations.

At this stage, the innovation methods and AI adoption initiatives proposed in the report do not, on their own, demonstrate that companies have achieved business improvements. Going forward, it will be worth watching whether companies that adopt these tools establish ongoing mechanisms for demand research and validation, and whether these changes lead to observable improvements in product and brand operations.