Organisation

Gartner

Also known as: Gartner

Articles
12
Coverage
Jun 11, 2026 – Oct 9, 2026
Type
company

Themes

Articles

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Data quality emerges as critical foundation for AI success

Agentic commerce market forecast to reach $300-500 billion by 2030

Retail / DTC › Department Stores
EcommerceLLM+1

The US agentic commerce market is projected to reach $300–500 billion by 2030 and account for 15–25% of total eCommerce sales, with nearly 50% of online shoppers expected to use AI agents. For commerce leaders, this shift demands immediate investment in AI-ready infrastructure, product data quality, and checkout optimization to capture share in the fastest-growing referral channel.

Consumer Trust in AI Recommendations Faces Reality Test

One-third of shoppers regret AI purchase recommendations

Retail / DTC › Department Stores
LLMSearch

A SmartCustomer survey of 1,200 U.S. consumers found that 76% have used AI to make purchases in the past year, yet 89% don't fully trust AI recommendations and one-third reported buyer's remorse. Commerce teams must address source validation and brand trust as AI adoption outpaces consumer confidence in recommendation accuracy.

General AI in Commerce

SoundHound AI completes LivePerson acquisition, names new CFO

Technology Services › Computer Systems Design and Related Services › Computer Facilities Management Services
CRMLLM

SoundHound AI closed its acquisition of LivePerson on September 4, 2026, combining voice and agentic AI capabilities with enterprise digital messaging infrastructure across 25 Fortune 100 customers and 750+ patents. The unified omnichannel platform positions commerce teams to deploy single conversational AI agents across voice, web, mobile, SMS, and social channels, addressing enterprise demand as Gartner forecasts $985 billion in agentic AI software spend by 2030.

Balancing human judgment with AI in commerce operations

Bloomreach argues modern martech needs both platforms and agentic AI

Retail / DTC › Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers
CDPEcommerce+1

Bloomreach's blog post contends that retailers face a false choice between adopting modern marketing platforms and agentic AI solutions, arguing the smartest organizations embrace both together. For commerce teams, the implication is clear: delaying platform modernization while waiting for perfect AI agents means missing measurable ROI and competitive advantage today.

AI modernizes legacy commerce infrastructure and data systems

commercetools for Builders tackles enterprise modernization beyond storefronts

Retail / DTC › Warehouse Clubs, Supercenters, and Other General Merchandise Retailers › Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
ESB / iPaaSEcommerce+1

commercetools launched an AI-powered platform in June 2026 that extends beyond digital storefronts to address integration sprawl and the hidden work blocking enterprise commerce modernization. For commerce practitioners, this means AI can lower implementation costs and accelerate replatforming projects that were previously seen as too risky or expensive.

Multimodal AI models enable smarter product discovery

commercetools outlines five stages of AI commerce readiness

Retail / DTC › Department Stores
ESB / iPaaSEcommerce+1

commercetools published a framework defining five stages—from invisible to frictionless—that eCommerce brands must progress through to become discoverable and transactable by AI agents. For commerce teams, the model maps a clear roadmap: without structured data, machine-readable schemas, and end-to-end APIs, products remain invisible to AI platforms where a fifth of online shopping could flow by 2030.

Search and product discovery AI reshapes ecommerce

Bloomreach Named Gartner Leader in Search and Product Discovery

Search

Bloomreach has been recognized as a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Search and Product Discovery for the third consecutive year, citing its AI Shopping Agent and agentic AI capabilities. For commerce teams evaluating search and discovery platforms, sustained Gartner leadership signals consistent innovation in AI-driven personalization and conversion optimization.

Retailers deploy AI for personalized health and wellness services

Schnucks launches VitalityIP health-tracking AI shopping assistant

Retail / DTC › Grocery and Convenience Retailers › Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers)
CDPLLM

St. Louis grocer Schnucks partnered with Boston-based VitalityIP to launch an AI assistant in its Rewards app and website that offers nutrition guidance, meal ideas, and personalized product recommendations based on health conditions and dietary preferences. The move signals a shift toward agentic shopping where AI agents mediate purchasing decisions based on health goals rather than traditional search or shelf placement, reshaping how brands compete for consumer trust.

AI and automation reshape commerce operations and workflows

commercetools defines autonomous commerce as AI-driven operations layer

Media / Information Technology › Software Publishers
AnalyticsESB / iPaaS+1

commercetools published a comprehensive guide explaining autonomous commerce as an operating model where AI agents execute commerce operations in real time, distinct from agentic commerce which focuses on consumer shopping experiences. For commerce practitioners, autonomous commerce promises faster decision-making, reduced operational costs, and the ability to scale without proportional headcount increases through agent orchestration.

Generative AI tools outperform brand-built customer service solutions

Gartner: Third-party AI tools beat brand chatbots in customer service

Retail / DTC › Warehouse Clubs, Supercenters, and Other General Merchandise Retailers › All Other General Merchandise Retailers
LLM

Customers are three times more likely to use third-party generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude for customer service than brand-owned chatbots, with third-party AI usage doubling in the past year while company chatbot adoption remained flat since 2022. Commerce leaders investing in proprietary chatbots without intentional adoption strategies risk poor ROI if customers prefer trusted, general-purpose AI tools they already use daily.

Retailers deploy AI for pricing, promotions, and forecasting

Shopify publishes AI-forward product data management guide for 2026

Retail / DTC › Warehouse Clubs, Supercenters, and Other General Merchandise Retailers › Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
EcommercePIM+1

Shopify released a comprehensive guide on product data management for ecommerce, emphasizing that AI-referred orders grew 13 times year-over-year in Q1 2026 and convert 50% higher than organic search. For commerce teams, complete and machine-readable product data is now critical to visibility in AI-powered discovery systems, where missing attributes can cut selection probability by 20-40%.

Agentic AI transforms commerce operations and customer service

Google's Universal Commerce Protocol enables AI-driven checkout experiences

Retail / DTC › Warehouse Clubs, Supercenters, and Other General Merchandise Retailers › Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
ESB / iPaaSEcommerce+1

Google released the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) in January 2026 to standardize how AI agents and merchants exchange information and complete transactions. For commerce practitioners, UCP unlocks a new high-intent sales channel where AI-referred retail visitors convert 42% more than non-AI visitors, while merchants retain control over pricing, inventory, and fulfillment.