By Leah Logan, Vice President, Retail Media Transformation
AI assistants and Agentic shopping have quickly become one of the biggest conversations in retail media. Over the last several months, the discussion has shifted from smarter search experiences to predictions about AI handling entire shopping journeys for consumers.
In Episode 5 of Retail Media Confessions, Andrew Lipsman (Founder & Chief Analyst at Media, Ads + Commerce), Austin Leonard (Vice President and General Manager of Dollar General Media Network), and I discuss what AI is realistically changing within commerce today and where expectations may be getting ahead of real consumer behavior.
Discovery Is Changing, Consumers Are Not (Yet)
AI is already improving consumers’ ability to discover products. Recommendation engines, AI-assisted search, and conversational tools can help narrow choices faster and surface more relevant options during the shopping journey.
Austin confirmed that “any tool that helps our shoppers find their products or discover new products — which is something I think AI and Agentic will help with — is helpful and will benefit the consumers and their shopping experience. But I don’t think it’s going to replace the shopping trip, whether digital or physical.”
And he’s spot on; consumers will still shop the same way in many respects. They compare products across channels, revisit decisions over time, browse inconsistently, and rely on multiple sources both digital and physical before purchasing. The path to purchase remains fragmented and personal.
That is why AI commerce currently feels more like an evolution of discovery than a complete reinvention of shopping.
Content Becomes More Valuable
As AI-assisted discovery grows, retailers and brands will need to think differently about product content.
Product detail pages are no longer just conversion environments. They are increasingly becoming discovery environments too. Helpful product information, tutorials, creator content, user-generated content, and educational materials embedded and surrounding products and pages all help consumers better understand products before purchasing.
This creates a major opportunity for retailers and private label brands that historically invested less heavily in storytelling or content development.
Useful Content Still Wins
Austin dropped a familiar phrase in “content is king,” and he’s not wrong. The right content is still the most reliable tool to lay up a win.
The industry is already beginning to talk about “agentic engine optimization” as companies look for ways to influence AI-driven discovery systems. In many ways, it resembles the early years of SEO. Brands want visibility, but consumers still gravitate toward information that genuinely helps solve problems.
Retailers creating relevant, useful content are likely already positioning themselves well for AI-assisted discovery because those systems increasingly prioritize context and usefulness.
Trust Still Drives Commerce
Finally, AI is improving personalization, predictive modeling, and recommendation capabilities across retail. Retailers can better understand intent, preferences, and shopping patterns faster than before.
Even so, trust remains central to purchasing decisions. Consumers still rely on familiarity, reviews, creators, brand perception, and confidence before buying products. AI may simplify discovery, but the emotional side of commerce remains very human.
The retailers that succeed will likely be the ones that use AI to improve experiences without removing the trust and relevance consumers still expect throughout the shopping journey.
Watch Episode 05 of Retail Media Confessions to hear the full conversation.
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