How is it possible for AI agents to shop for us, and what does that mean for consumers and businesses?
Have you ever asked yourself that, or thought, “Could I simply tell a digital assistant ‘Get me a surprise gift under £40 for my mum’ and have everything done for me?”
If so, you’re already imagining the scenario that lies behind the emerging field known as agentic commerce.
Agentic commerce is the next frontier of online shopping: AI agents that act autonomously on your behalf, from browsing and comparing, all the way to checkout and post-purchase tasks. Instead of you clicking through websites, your digital agent does the work, based on your preferences, constraints, and consent.
This shift is already happening through technologies like OpenAI’s Agentic Commerce Protocol, Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol, Stripe’s “Instant Checkout”, and Shopify’s AI-powered storefront integrations. Together, these innovations are building the infrastructure for a future where your AI handles the entire shopping journey.
(If you’re curious how AI is transforming other industries, you might enjoy The Future of Business: AI, Automation and the Role of Web Developers, which explores how developers are adapting to this new intelligent ecosystem.)
The Shopping Revolution You Didn’t See Coming
Think about how much shopping has changed in the past decade. We went from walking through aisles in supermarkets to scrolling through online stores. Then came mobile apps, one-click checkouts, and voice assistants that could order things for us.
Now, imagine taking that a step further, where you don’t even have to search anymore.
Instead, you simply tell your AI assistant, “Get me a thoughtful birthday gift for my mum under £40, something she’ll actually love.” A few minutes later, it’s done. The gift is chosen, wrapped, paid for, and scheduled for delivery, without you lifting a finger.
Welcome to the era of Agentic Commerce, the next big leap in how we buy, sell, and interact online.
This isn’t just another buzzword in tech circles. It’s a fundamental shift that will reshape everything from customer experience to marketing, supply chains, and trust. But before we dive into why it matters so much, let’s start with the basics.
What Exactly Is Agentic Commerce?
Let’s break the term down.
“Agentic” comes from the word agency, the ability to act independently, make choices, and carry out decisions.
“Commerce,” of course, is simply buying and selling.
Put together, Agentic Commerce means autonomous shopping powered by intelligent agents, AI systems that can think, decide, and act on your behalf.
In simple terms:
It’s when artificial intelligence doesn’t just help you shop, it shops for you.
Think of an AI agent as your personal digital shopper. It knows your preferences, understands your priorities, keeps track of your budgets, and can even negotiate or compare prices across different platforms. All you have to do is express intent, something like, “Find me the best eco-friendly trainers under £100.”
And your AI agent takes it from there, searching, filtering, comparing, and even buying once you give the green light.
That’s the core of agentic commerce.
But how exactly does it work behind the scenes?
How Agentic Commerce Works
Here’s the simplest way to understand it
When you interact with an AI agent, maybe through a chatbot, a voice assistant, or even directly in ChatGPT, a process unfolds in several stages:
- You express intent.
You might say, “Order more dog food, same brand as last month.” - The AI agent plans and searches.
It looks across online stores, brand websites, or marketplaces, comparing prices, delivery times, and stock availability. - It evaluates and recommends.
Based on your previous preferences, ratings, or sustainability goals, it narrows down options. - It checks out and pays.
With your permission, it can use tokenized or pre-approved payment methods to complete the order securely. - It tracks and manages post-purchase actions.
If the delivery is delayed, or you want to reorder, the agent handles it.
Think of it as having a super-efficient personal shopper who never sleeps, never forgets your budget, and always reads the fine print.
It’s automation, but with intelligence, context, and purpose.
And it’s becoming possible because of major advances in AI reasoning, API integrations, and secure payment systems.
So, now that you know how it works, the next question is: why now? Why is everyone suddenly talking about agentic commerce?
Why Agentic Commerce Matters (and Why Everyone’s Talking About It)
There’s a reason why companies like Amazon, Visa, Shopify, and OpenAI are pouring resources into agent-driven shopping experiences, because they can see what’s coming.
The way people shop online is about to change completely.
Until now, eCommerce has been reactive, we go to websites, type what we want, browse options, and check out. But agentic commerce flips that model. It’s proactive, the AI anticipates what you need, finds it, and helps you buy it, often before you even realize you were running low.
The timing makes sense.
- AI assistants are smarter than ever. ChatGPT, Gemini, and Alexa are no longer just answering questions, they can reason, plan, and act.
- Payments are becoming frictionless. With tokenized checkouts and digital wallets, secure one-click payments are now possible across platforms.
Agentic commerce promises to deliver that.
But this shift isn’t just about technology, it’s about experience. And that’s where it gets exciting.
(If your business handles customer data, make sure you’re prepared for the new security challenges AI brings. See Cost of Data Breach Report 2025 UK: How to Secure Your Business, Staff Against Phishing, AI Risks & Cyber Threats for practical steps to stay protected.)
What It Means for Consumers
For consumers, agentic commerce could make life dramatically simpler.
Imagine a world where:
- Your groceries reorder themselves when supplies run low.
- Your wardrobe updates automatically before winter.
- Your subscriptions renew only when you actually use them.
- And you get the best price, fastest delivery, and lowest carbon footprint, automatically.
That’s the promise.
But if we are to be honest, it’s not all sunshine and seamless automation.
There are valid concerns about privacy, data control, and trust.
If an AI agent can buy things on your behalf, who ensures it won’t make mistakes or overspend?
How much personal data will it need to make accurate decisions?
And will brands compete to influence your agent instead of you?
These are big questions, and they lead us naturally to the other side of the story, how this transformation affects businesses.
What It Means for Businesses and Merchants
Here’s the part where things get real.
For businesses, agentic commerce represents both a challenge and an enormous opportunity.
In traditional eCommerce, you optimized for people, eye-catching ads, SEO, persuasive copy, and beautiful landing pages.
In the age of agentic commerce, you’ll also need to optimize for AI agents.
That means:
- Publishing clear, structured product data (via APIs).
- Offering agent-friendly checkouts (secure, tokenized, and fast).
- Maintaining accurate stock, price, and delivery information.
- Making returns and warranties machine-readable.
Why? Because AI agents will only buy from merchants they can understand and trust.
If your site still requires a dozen clicks to check out, or hides shipping fees behind login walls, an AI agent will skip it.
It will go where the path is smoothest, and that’s where your competitors will win.
In other words:
If you’re not ready for AI-driven buying, you might soon be invisible to the new generation of digital shoppers.
(If you haven’t already, check out SEO Product Descriptions: How to Optimise Your Product Pages for Search. It breaks down exactly how structured, readable product data can make your store more “agent-friendly.”)
The Challenges and Risks
Of course, no revolution comes without its roadblocks.
Agentic commerce raises tough questions about accountability, security, and ethics.
- Fraud & identity verification: How do we confirm that an AI agent placing an order is legitimate, and not a malicious bot?
- Data privacy: These systems will need access to detailed purchase histories, preferences, and payment tokens. Who controls that data?
- Responsibility: If an agent orders the wrong product or violates terms (say, ordering restricted items), who’s liable, the user, the merchant, or the agent developer?
- Bias & influence: As brands start marketing to AI agents, will some manipulate recommendations or pricing algorithms?
Industry leaders like Visa and Mastercard are already developing frameworks, such as “trusted agent protocols”, to establish identity and secure agent-to-merchant communication.
But governance will evolve alongside the technology.
Despite these challenges, one thing is clear:
Agentic commerce isn’t just another trend, it’s a foundational shift.
The Future of Agentic Commerce
So, what does the future look like?
Picture this:
- AI assistants handle 80% of routine purchases for households.
- Businesses sell directly to AI systems, using specialized APIs.
- Marketing shifts from persuading human emotions to influencing AI logic.
- Customer service becomes proactive, agents fix problems before you notice.
- And your digital wallet becomes a “commerce brain,” managing budgets, goals, and subscriptions automatically.
The future of commerce won’t be about search and click.
It’ll be about ask and get, faster, smarter, and more aligned with our needs.
We’ll move from websites to ecosystems.
From shoppers to delegators.
From transactions to intelligent interactions.
And the businesses that adapt early will be the ones shaping that future.
How Businesses and Individuals Can Get Ready
So, how can we prepare?
For businesses:
- Make your product data agent-readable. Publish APIs with product details, pricing, and availability.
- Support tokenized payments. Enable frictionless, secure checkouts for AI agents.
- Adopt trusted agent protocols. Ensure your systems can identify and authorize legitimate AI transactions.
- Be transparent. Agents and users will reward clarity over manipulation.
- Rethink marketing. You’ll need to appeal not just to human hearts but to algorithmic reasoning.
For consumers:
- Understand your permissions. Know what your AI agent can access or purchase.
- Set guardrails. Spending limits, brand preferences, and privacy settings.
- Stay informed. The more you understand how your agent works, the better control you’ll have.
Because the future of shopping won’t be about choosing every product manually, it’ll be about choosing the rules your agent follows.
Conclusion: The Era of Effortless Buying
We’re standing at the edge of something remarkable.
Agentic commerce will turn shopping from a task into a conversation, from a to-do list into a collaboration between humans and intelligent systems. It’s about making technology serve our goals quietly, intelligently, and ethically.
In a few years, we might look back and laugh at the days when we spent hours scrolling through pages for the perfect item. Instead, our AI agents will understand our needs, respect our limits, and handle the details while we focus on what truly matters.
That’s the promise of agentic commerce
A future where shopping takes care of itself, powered by intelligence, trust, and human intent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is agentic commerce already live, or is it just theoretical?
It’s already being deployed. OpenAI’s ChatGPT “Instant Checkout” lets users purchase from Etsy and has plans for Shopify integration. Visa has also launched its Trusted Agent Protocol to support secure agent purchases.
Will agents replace traditional eCommerce websites?
Not exactly. Websites and UIs will still matter, especially when users want to explore, be inspired, and browse richly. But for routine purchases, agentic flows may become the dominant channel.
How do merchants verify that an AI agent is legitimate and not a malicious bot?
That’s the role of trusted protocols like Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol (TAP), which uses cryptographic signatures to verify agent identity and intent.
Who is responsible if an agent makes the wrong purchase or violates rules?
Today, responsibility lies with the system designers, the platform, and ultimately the human who authorized the agent. But legal and governance frameworks are still catching up, this is an area of active debate and research.
How can smaller merchants take advantage of agentic commerce?
Start small, publish cleaner product APIs, adopt tokenized checkouts, and signal trust with clear return policies and consistent delivery. When standards become more accessible, integrate with global agent networks as they expand into your region.
Does agentic commerce mean we lose human touch and control?
Not necessarily. The goal is augmented agency, not replacement. Agents operate under your rules, with your oversight. The smarter path is designing agents that explain decisions, allow review, and keep you in the loop.