CHICAGO -- The rise of agentic AI in retail will change the face and feel of shopping to a degree that requires retailers to “rethink their business model,” according to a report released this week by management consultancy Kearney.
The report, “Agentic Commerce: From Brand Loyalty to Bot Logic,” posits that the disruption will come from AI “super agents” occupying space between a retailer or brand and their customers, and which act with little or no human oversight to pursue goals through multi-step processes. The tools use artificial intelligence to complete tasks like noticing that the household laundry detergent is running low and reordering a fresh shipment.
“Six in 10 consumers expect to use AI agents within the next year, mostly for personal, not business purposes,” says report author Katherine Black, partner in Kearney’s consumer and retail practice, lead for food, mass and drug. “For retailers, this is a massive new challenge, as they are no longer dealing only with the needs of their customer but with how their customer is being beckoned elsewhere by cross-platform super agents.”
Thorvardur de Shong
Most retailers are unprepared for the disruption to come, according to the report, which identifies steps they can take to ease the transition. One is to make their communications data “agent-ready" for algorithms attuned to phrases like “lowest price," "fastest fulfillment" or "exclusive items."
Of course, retailers are aware of the risks that AI filters pose to customer relationships and are debating whether to build their own agents, according to Kearney. “But consumers are clear: what they really want is best price, speed, and trust. That advantage sits with cross-platform super agents (ChatGPT, Gemini, Klarna, Instacart) – not necessarily retailer-owned platforms. The real battle for your shopping cart isn’t Walmart vs. Target. It’s OpenAI vs. Google vs. Klarna.”
Kearney characterizes the beauty category as the “canary in the coal mine,” with beauty-related advice queries “skyrocketing.”
“If AI can simplify skin care, it will rewrite nutrition, wellness, and financial services,” according to the report.
Says Black, “Agentic Commerce stands to disintermediate shopping to the degree that retailers will need to rethink their business model. It’s no longer enough to have developed their own internal chatbots, because their brand might not even turn up in the AI agent’s search. This is a moment for retailers to really think futuristically, prepare responses and forge strong, meaningful partnerships.”
