My AI Wants to Go Shopping. Retailers Would Like to Know Whose Side It’s On.
I used to think the most complicated part of shopping was figuring out whether I actually needed something. Apparently, that was an embarrassingly primitive concern. Now I am supposed to consider whether an artificial intelligence agent should evaluate my needs, compare the options, negotiate the digital obstacle course, and spend my money while retailers argue over whether to let it through the door. We have finally reached the stage of civilization where buying socks requires a debate about sovereignty. The headline that set me off was The Wall Street Journal’s “Retailers From QVC to Kohl’s Are Split on Agentic Shopping.” According to its October 2 reporting, QVC and HSN welcome purchasing agents, Kohl’s prevents agentic purchases, and Tapestry allows browsing but not buying. Retailers’ concerns include customer experience and control over data. Those are the reported positions; what interests me is the argument underneath them. Everyone wants to help me shop, but I suspect we have d...
