What: AI agents are rapidly transforming commerce by automating shopping journeys, payments, and customer interactions, shifting power from retailers to digital intermediaries.

Why it is important: This shift marks a fundamental reconfiguration of retail, requiring brands to adapt to new power structures and data-driven engagement models.

The retail industry is undergoing a profound transformation as AI agents become central to the shopping experience, automating everything from product selection to payment and delivery. These autonomous systems are now mediating transactions, personalizing recommendations, and handling secure payments, making the customer journey faster, more intuitive, and highly tailored. As a result, the traditional dominance of retailers and e-commerce platforms is giving way to digital intermediaries—AI agents and tech giants—that control access to consumers and orchestrate purchasing decisions. Retailers must now focus on optimizing their data, APIs, and engagement strategies for machine readability, as conventional marketing tools like SEO and advertising lose their effectiveness. The integration of AI-driven payment solutions is further democratizing advanced commerce technologies, enabling even small merchants to offer seamless and secure experiences. However, this evolution also raises the stakes for transparency, data protection, and responsible AI use, as trust and accountability become critical to sustaining consumer confidence and regulatory compliance.

IADS Notes: Recent developments in September 2025 confirm that agentic commerce is rapidly shifting power structures in retail, with AI agents automating transactions and redefining consumer relationships. Visa’s AI-powered payment solutions, launched in May 2025, exemplify how seamless, secure, and personalized shopping is becoming accessible to all merchants. At the same time, industry analysis highlights the urgent need for robust standards of trust and transparency as AI agents gain autonomy, compelling retailers to balance innovation with ethical and operational rigor.

How AI agents are reinventing the future of commerce