The Silent Revolution

Written By Henrik Holmberg

With artificial intelligence stepping into the role of digital shopping assistant, brands must navigate a new algorithmic reality where trust and availability outweigh conventional marketing strategies.

The era of passive online browsing is drawing to a close. Across the digital marketplace, a quiet revolution is unfolding as artificial intelligence agents begin making purchasing decisions on behalf of consumers, fundamentally altering the mechanics of commerce. Where once brands competed for human attention through carefully crafted marketing campaigns, they now must optimize for algorithmic logic, creating what experts call the emergence of "invisible commerce".

This transformation represents more than advanced technological progress. AI-enabled e-commerce is projected to reach $8.65 billion in 2025, with traffic from generative AI sources increasing by 1,300% compared to the previous year. Gartner predicts that 33% of enterprise software applications will include agent-based AI by 2028, jumping from less than 1% in 2024. The implications extend far beyond convenience, they strike at the heart of how brands build relationships with customers and how retailers structure their operations.

Invisible Shopping Revolution

Today's AI shopping agents bear little resemblance to yesterday's rudimentary chatbots. These sophisticated systems proactively research, compare, and even complete purchases on behalf of consumers, creating what industry experts term "commerce everywhere". A user can simply message their AI assistant asking for "the best laptop under $800," and the agent will research options, compare prices, check availability, and complete the purchase without the user ever landing on a retailer's website.

Perplexity's recent launch of their Search API represents a pivotal moment in this transformation. Unlike traditional search APIs that provide basic keyword matching, Perplexity's infrastructure offers real-time, AI-powered search capabilities that understand context and intent, covering hundreds of billions of web pages. The company's "Shop like a Pro" feature exemplifies this paradigm, allowing Pro users to research and purchase products directly within the platform through their "Buy with Pro" experience, complete with visual search capabilities called "Snap to Shop".

We tried out Comet; Perplexity´s AI-powered web browser. In this example I shop outdoor gear and provide size and budget. Voilá! Ended up at Naturkompaniet with Fjällräven Trousers and Jacket, with a Hillberg Tent in the Shopping Cart (yeah, had quite a big budget).

Amazon, meanwhile, is testing a new "Buy for Me" feature that operates beyond its own marketplace, using AI agents to visit external sites, select products, and fill in necessary details including payment information. The company feeds its large language models vast quantities of retail data, envisioning a future where AI agents could autonomously purchase items for customers without explicit requests.

Amazon “Buy For Me”

Google has introduced its own AI Mode shopping experience, combining Gemini capabilities with its Shopping Graph of over 50 billion product listings. The platform's "agentic checkout" feature allows users to track prices and, when ready to buy, simply confirm purchase details with a tap of "buy for me," as Google completes the transaction securely on their behalf.

Google AI-Powered Shopping

The Brand Paradox

Paradoxically, as commerce becomes increasingly automated and invisible, brand identity has become more crucial than ever. The "House of Brands" strategy, where companies manage multiple distinct brands under one corporate umbrella, is experiencing a renaissance driven by AI's need for trusted signals.

 
 
 

As AI shopping agents evaluate brand portfolios, only those with strong identities, trust, and clear market signals stand out and get recommended in the algorithm-driven marketplace.

AI agents, when making purchasing decisions, rely heavily on trust indicators and brand reputation to filter through countless options. Established brands with strong recognition and quality associations get prioritized in AI recommendations, while unknown or generic brands risk being bypassed entirely. This creates a powerful competitive moat for companies with strong brand portfolios.

Consider industry giants like Procter & Gamble, which operates dozens of independent brands from Tide to Pampers, each targeting specific market segments. In an AI-driven commerce environment, this diversified brand approach allows the company to capture recommendations across multiple product categories and consumer needs, maximizing their chances of being selected by AI agents.

Research indicates that AI exposure actually increases brand trust among consumers, particularly Generation Z, with positive perceptions of AI accuracy directly influencing brand trust. This creates a virtuous cycle where brands that effectively integrate AI into their customer experience build stronger trust, which in turn makes them more likely to be recommended by AI agents.

Competing for the Algorithm

The shift toward AI-mediated commerce is fundamentally altering competitive dynamics. AI agents don't "shop" the same way humans do, they don't browse influencer content, build brand loyalty due to emotional associations, or make impulse purchases based on clever copywriting. Instead, they analyze data based on logic, rules, and signals, making decisions in milliseconds based on factors like price, availability, service quality, and reliability.

Recent research using simulated e-commerce environments reveals that AI agents respond positively to higher ratings and more reviews, but are sensitive to positioning on pages and platform endorsements. For example, moving a product from the bottom right corner to the top row increased selection rates fivefold, while sponsored tags reduced selection likelihood and platform endorsements like "Overall Pick" increased it.

This algorithmic decision-making process shifts power away from traditional retailers toward individual brands and AI systems themselves. Unlike human shoppers who typically remain within familiar retailer ecosystems, AI agents can shift through massive amounts of data across countless platforms to find optimal matches based on user preferences and real-time availability.

The Inventory Imperative

Perhaps the most significant shift is the elevation of inventory management from operational necessity to marketing tool. In an AI-driven world, real-time availability has emerged as a critical conversion factor alongside brand reputation and product quality. If an item is out of stock or has slow delivery, AI agents pass it by, reshaping which brands win conversions in milliseconds.

The launch of Perplexity's Search API illustrates this transformation. Unlike legacy search engines that index static web pages, Perplexity's infrastructure breaks content into smaller, continuously updated units, enabling AI agents to access the most relevant product information, pricing, and availability data in real-time. This means inventory transparency and real-time updates aren't just operational requirements, they're essential marketing tools for the AI age.

Leading retailers are responding by transforming their supply chain operations. Walmart's AI-powered inventory management system has reduced stockouts by 25% and overstocking by 30%, while Amazon uses AI to optimize delivery routes and inventory distribution. Companies that fail to provide up-to-the-millisecond data risk falling off algorithmic shortlists entirely.

Rethinking the Playbook

The convergence of AI shopping agents and changing consumer behavior creates several critical imperatives for business leaders:

Optimizing for Algorithmic Discovery becomes crucial. Brands must ensure their product data is structured and accessible to AI agents, including comprehensive specifications, real-time inventory data, and clear value propositions that algorithms can easily parse and recommend.

Investment in Brand Differentiation takes on new urgency. In a world where AI agents make purchasing decisions, strong brand identity becomes the primary competitive differentiator. Companies must build distinct brand personalities that resonate with both consumers and AI algorithms.

The Evolution of Physical and Digital Experiences requires reimagining. Since routine purchasing moves to AI agents, physical and digital touchpoints must deliver extraordinary experiences that build emotional connections and brand loyalty. Nike's House of Innovation stores exemplify this approach, offering interactive product testing and customization services that create the kind of emotional brand loyalty that influences AI agent recommendations.

Embracing Conversational Commerce represents a new frontier. Forward-thinking brands are building their own AI shopping agents that understand their inventory, apply personalized offers, and feel like extensions of their brand experience.

The Road Ahead

The retail landscape is fundamentally shifting toward a model where AI agents shop for consumers, but brands must still earn consumer trust and loyalty. Companies that understand this dynamic—leveraging both invisible AI commerce and memorable brand experiences—will dominate the next era of retail.

As AI shopping capabilities democratize access to real-time, intelligent search, the brands that succeed will be those that master the art of being both algorithmically discoverable and emotionally unforgettable. The future belongs to companies that can satisfy both the logic of AI agents and the hearts of human consumers.

This transformation challenges one of marketing's fundamental assumptions: that the audience is human. In the age of agentic AI, machines increasingly make choices about what we buy, and brands that fail to adapt risk becoming invisible in an algorithmic world. The companies that thrive will be those that recognize this new reality and build strategies that speak to both silicon and soul.

HOW TO: Connect Your Brand with Agentic AI

Thalius Search™ bridges keyword clarity, transparent neural embeddings, and interactive discovery, making product search feel natural for both humans and AI agents. Our hybrid search solution ensures your products and brand signals are easily understood and prioritized by agentic AI.

By integrating our API with your existing e-commerce platform, you future-proof your site for the agent era, letting shoppers and their digital agents instantly discover what makes your brand unique.

In the age of convenience, success hinges on being seen and selected by people and algorithms. Thalius Search™ ensures your products are not only easy to find, but also easy for AI agents to recommend.

Ready to halve abandonment, double conversions, and unlock the convenience premium? Connect with Thalius to see a live demo tailored to your tech stack, so your brand stands out, in every search.

*Sources and further readings for this insights article:

Henrik Holmberg
Next

From Convenience to Conversion