AI Agents Set to Create Trillion-Dollar Online Retail Market

Image credit: Yoast

Artificial intelligence agents are transforming global online retail by automating consumer product discovery, comparison and purchasing decisions, potentially unlocking a new market opportunity of up to $1 trillion in U.S. B2C retail by 2030.

AI agents function as digital shopping proxies, executing tasks such as product research, comparing options and completing transactions based on specific user intentions, according to industry analysts.

More than 60 percent of shoppers are expected to use agentic AI in their purchasing experiences by 2026, prioritizing convenience, speed, pricing and trust over traditional platform loyalties, experts reported.

Technological frameworks, including the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) and Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), are considered vital for the widespread enablement of agentic commerce.

McKinsey & Company reported that more than 70 percent of users engaging with AI-powered search tools typically ask top-of-the-funnel questions, indicating a shift in how consumers initiate their shopping journeys.

The consulting firm also found that nearly 50 percent of internet users already incorporate AI-powered search into their online activities.

Alex Moss, a figure associated with the field, emphasized the transformative potential of these advancements.

Globally, analysts predict that agentic commerce could generate a B2C retail market valued between $3 trillion and $5 trillion, fundamentally reshaping the future of online retail.

Source: Yoast