Big retail companies are increasingly experimenting with artificial intelligence to change how consumers discover and buy products online and in stores. Several major brands have begun pushing their product ranges onto third-party AI platforms, enabling customers to shop directly through conversational AI assistants rather than on traditional websites or apps. This shift reflects a broader trend toward agentic AI-led commerce, where intelligent systems guide discovery and purchasing decisions for shoppers.
Retailers like Amazon and Walmart are pursuing dual approaches: while some embrace partnerships with external AI platforms, others are investing in their own AI assistants designed to keep customers within their branded ecosystems. These in-house tools help personalize interactions and support decision-making, but many companies also see value in meeting customers on popular AI services where consumers already spend time.
Industry experts believe this transition could reshape the customer relationship, with AI increasingly mediating shopping experiences. AI-driven traffic to e-commerce sites has surged, and analysts predict that deeper integration of AI assistants could further accelerate engagement. However, executives also caution that outsourcing discovery and purchase functions to external AI services may weaken direct retailer-to-consumer ties and reduce access to valuable behavioral data that companies traditionally use to refine offerings and cultivate loyalty.
At the same time, retailers are exploring ways to leverage AI beyond third-party platforms — for example, by embedding intelligent tools directly into their own apps or analytics systems to enhance pricing, forecasting, and customer insights. As the role of AI agents grows, industry figures expect shopping to evolve toward more seamless, AI-mediated interactions that blur the lines between browsing, discovery, and checkout.
