The Trust Paradox: Why We Will Inevitably Stop Trusting Our AI Shopping Agents

Agentic CommerceArtificial Intelligence (AI)Scholarly ArticleWorking Papaer
Written By Paul F. Accornero

Abstract

The emergence of autonomous AI purchasing agents represents a structural reconfiguration of commercial exchange that fundamentally alters the mechanisms and dynamics of consumer trust. This paper develops a predictive conceptual framework for understanding trust evolution in AI-mediated commerce, arguing that platforms deploying these agents will face powerful economic pressures to introduce monetization strategies that systematically erode the initial trust foundation. Drawing on principal-agent theory and the historical precedent of Google Search’s transformation from information utility to advertising platform, I propose that AI commerce will likely follow a similar trajectory absent deliberate countermeasures. The paper presents a three-phase trust lifecycle model: (1) utility-driven adoption, (2) monetization-induced misalignment, and (3) potential disillusionment and market bifurcation. I introduce the concept of “computational trust”—trust mechanisms emphasizing radical verifiability, systemic reliability, and algorithmic transparency—as a strategic response for organizations and policymakers seeking to prevent or mitigate trust erosion. The framework yields eleven testable propositions and provides strategic guidance for firms navigating the transition to agent-intermediated markets. This analysis contributes to marketing theory by extending principal-agent frameworks to three-party consumer-agent-platform relationships and by identifying computational trust as a distinct construct from traditional relationship-based trust mechanisms. As a conceptual framework developed prior to widespread AI agent deployment, this work generates testable propositions requiring empirical validation as the technology matures.

Keywords: trust, artificial intelligence, AI agents, agentic commerce, platform economics, principal-agent theory, algorithmic commerce, computational trust, technology acceptance, platform monetization

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Paul F. Accornero

Paul F. Accornero is a C-suite leader, global strategist, and the author of the forthcoming book, The Algorithmic Shopper. He currently serves as the Global Chief Commercial Officer for one of the world's market-leading consumer goods companies, where he is a key architect of its global commercial strategy. In this role, he directs a multi-billion-euro business with a P&L spanning over 120 countries and is responsible for the performance of thousands of employees worldwide.

Paul stands at the intersection of classic brand building and the next frontier of commerce. His career has been defined by leading profound organizational and digital transformations for some of the world's most iconic consumer brands. For over a decade at the L'Oréal Group, he was instrumental in shaping commercial policy and strategy across the Asia Pacific region, including serving as Chief Commercial Officer for the Consumer Products Division in P.R. China. Since 2008, he has been a driving force behind the globalization of his current company, spearheading the omnichannel strategies that have successfully navigated the disruption of the digital age. His leadership has a proven track record of delivering exceptional results, including driving revenue growth exceeding.

His unique perspective is not merely academic; it has been forged through decades of hands-on operational experience and senior leadership roles on multiple continents. He has served as CEO, President, or Managing Director for major subsidiaries in the USA, Japan, and Singapore, giving him an unparalleled, ground-level view of the global commercial landscape he deconstructs in his work.

A rigorous strategic framework complements this extensive real-world experience. A graduate of the University of Queensland, Paul completed his postgraduate business studies at Harvard Business School, where he studied disruptive strategy under the world’s foremost thought leaders, including the late Clayton Christensen. This blend of C-suite practice and elite academic insight makes him uniquely positioned to write the definitive playbook for the age of AI-driven commerce.

As an active and respected industry leader, Paul is a Fellow of both the Institute of Directors (FIoD) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM) in the UK. He is also a Liveryman of the World Traders Livery Company and a Freeman of the City of London, affiliations that connect him to a deep network of influential business leaders.

The Algorithmic Shopper is more than a book; it is the culmination of a career spent leading on the front lines of commercial evolution.

https://theaipraxis.ai
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