The Architects of Our New World: How Visa, Google, and Walmart Are Building the Agentic Economy
While we debate the future of AI, the agentic economy is already being constructed in plain sight by three familiar giants: Visa, Google, and Walmart. This article moves beyond analyzing them in their traditional silos to reveal their deeper strategies. Each is architecting a unique, competing "Walled Garden" for our Algorithmic Shoppers. Discover the three distinct visions—the Universal Translator, the Universal Brain, and the Universal Supply Chain—and what they mean for the future of your business.
From the Agora to the Algorithm: The 7,000-Year Journey to Your Next Customer
The rise of the AI shopper seems like a radical, unprecedented disruption. But what if it's the most predictable evolution in economic history? This article traces the 7,000-year arc of "commercial abstraction," from the physical Agora to the abstract algorithm. By understanding how we've systematically delegated trust to proxies like coins, ledgers, and credit cards, we can see the Algorithmic Shopper not as a revolution, but as the final, logical step in our quest for frictionless commerce.
The Dog Food Dilemma: Why a Century of Marketing Is Obsolete in the AI Age
For a hundred years, marketing has focused on persuading the human shopper. But what happens when the shopper is no longer human? This article uses the classic "Dog Food Dilemma" to introduce the Shopper Schism (Great Decoupling)—the irreversible, AI-driven split between the human consumer and the transactional shopper. It deconstructs why our entire commercial playbook is becoming obsolete and what leaders must do to prepare for the age of the Algorithmic Shopper.
The New Customer: Is Your Business Ready to Sell to AI?
For decades, we've marketed to people. But what happens when your next customer isn't human? What happens when you have to sell to an AI? We're entering an age where brand storytelling and emotional connection will be tested by algorithmic objectivity. Vague promises of 'quality' won't be enough for an AI that can parse every data point of your product in an instant. In my new article, I break down the strategic shifts every CCO, CMO, CRO, and CEO needs to consider today.