Definition Section

Agentic Commerce is the structural transformation of commercial exchange in which AI agents—operating with delegated authority from human consumers—autonomously execute purchasing decisions, manage ongoing procurement, and optimize household or organizational spending without transaction-by-transaction human approval.

Unlike traditional e-commerce, where humans make each purchasing decision, Agentic Commerce represents a fundamental shift: the transaction is no longer a single, intentional purchase but a continuous, autonomous process executed by an AI agent acting as a fiduciary. The agent performs a series of tasks on behalf of a human user to achieve a goal—such as managing a household budget—not just completing a single purchase.

The concept was first theorized by Paul F. Accornero in his research on The Shopper Schism (2024-2025), which describes the permanent structural disaggregation between consumers (who define needs and preferences) and shoppers (the algorithmic agents that fulfill them).

Executive Summary

Why It Matters

Agentic Commerce fundamentally reorders the commercial world. An AI agent becomes the primary intermediary between a brand and its end customer. This is not an incremental change to existing digital commerce—it is a structural transformation that obsoletes many assumptions underlying current marketing, sales, and brand strategy.

Origin

This concept is a direct evolution from Conversational Commerce, where AI moves from an assisting "Co-Pilot" to a fully autonomous, decision-making "Auto-Pilot." The theoretical framework was developed by Paul F. Accornero and published through The AI Praxis and SSRN working papers.

Implications

This shift forces brands to pivot from the art of persuasion to the science of machine optimization. The new customer is a logical machine that cannot be emotionally swayed. Marketing shifts from impression-based influence to data-based trust-building with algorithmic intermediaries.

Strategic Imperative

The key to success is building a brand that is a reliable, trustworthy partner for the agent—providing complete and verifiable data that can be trusted to deliver the best outcome for the human user. Brands must become "Agent Intent Optimized" (AIO) rather than merely search engine optimized.

Examples

Early forms of Agentic Commerce exist in B2B procurement software and automated stock reordering systems, which act on a set of rules without human intervention. Consumer-facing manifestations are emerging through smart home systems, subscription optimization algorithms, and AI assistants with purchasing authority.

Example in Practice

A human gives their AI agent a high-level command: "Make sure my family's household runs as efficiently as possible this month." The agent then autonomously executes a cascade of tasks—managing the energy grid, optimizing grocery orders, scheduling maintenance, comparing insurance renewals, and adjusting subscription services—with the ultimate goal of saving the family money and time, all without human intervention for each individual decision.

The consumer has not abdicated their role; they have elevated it. They define the what (efficiency, savings, quality of life) while the agent handles the how (vendor selection, timing, negotiation, execution). This is the essence of The Shopper Schism: the permanent separation of consumer intent from shopping execution.

Key Characteristics of Agentic Commerce

  • Delegated Authority: AI agents operate with explicit permission to make purchasing decisions within defined parameters

  • Fiduciary Relationship: Agents are bound to act in the best interest of their human principal, not the selling brand

  • Continuous Operation: Unlike discrete e-commerce transactions, agentic commerce is an ongoing optimization process

  • Goal-Oriented: Agents optimize for outcomes (efficiency, savings, quality) rather than products

  • Data-Driven Trust: Agent-brand relationships are built on verifiable data quality, not emotional appeal

  • Algorithmic Intermediation: The agent serves as the primary interface between human needs and commercial offerings

Related Concepts

See also: Algorithmic Shopper, AI Co-Pilot, The Shopper Schism, Agent Intent Optimization (AIO), The Great Decoupling, Journey of Abstraction

Source

First introduced in: The Shopper Schism: Structural Disaggregation of Consumer and Shopper in AI-Mediated Commerce (SSRN #5753722)

Cite This Definition

Accornero, P.F. (2025). "Agentic Commerce." The AI Praxis Glossary of Agentic Commerce. Retrieved from https://www.theaipraxis.com/agentic-commerce

Further Reading