AI shopping assistants remain at least five years from practical use

The technology industry is enthusiastic about automated shopping bots that could make purchases on behalf of consumers, a concept known as "agentic commerce." However, despite significant hype with projections of up to $1 trillion in US retail revenue by 2030, current products claiming to offer this functionality are not yet operational, and experts believe it will take at least five years before such systems become practically viable.

Significant obstacles exist to making agentic commerce a reality. Major retailers including Amazon have already blocked AI shopping bots from accessing their platforms, citing concerns over their terms of service. Industry experts argue that consumers are unlikely to delegate financial control to AI systems, particularly for high-value purchases requiring careful deliberation, and trust in AI decision-making remains insufficient given the lack of transparency in how these systems would function and potentially influence purchasing decisions.