Agentic AI transforms consumer shopping and software relations

The rise of agentic AI—autonomous tools capable of performing complex tasks—is reshaping both consumer shopping habits and the relationship between businesses and software providers. In the retail sector, AI agents are evolving from simple assistants to autonomous shoppers capable of scanning the web for discounts, comparing products, and managing purchases. An IBM study conducted with the National Retail Federation indicates that 40% of French consumers already use AI to guide their purchasing decisions.

This shift presents new challenges for retailers. As companies adopt standardized AI tools, such as the open-source code released by Anthropic for building sales agents, product offerings and customer service may become increasingly uniform. Success for brands may soon depend on being selected by an AI agent’s specific criteria rather than just being visible to human shoppers.

In the business sector, agentic AI is also altering contractual dynamics between companies and software vendors. While major tech publishers are launching counter-offensives to ensure AI remains dependent on their software, the emergence of specialized agents and plugins continues to shift the balance of power within the industry.