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00:02AI shopping agents are reshaping online commerce, creating opportunities for consumers and technology
00:08companies while raising concerns among retailers, according to the Wall Street Journal.
00:12Outside AI agents make it harder for businesses to identify customers and predict their purchasing
00:16behavior. BrightEdge estimates that purchases through AI agents are growing 43% month over
00:21month and have quadrupled since April. However, only about 3% of its e-commerce clients allow
00:27agents to complete transactions. Continued growth in AI agents could shift market power
00:31toward technology companies and create new revenue streams through subscriptions, advertising
00:36and transaction fees. Amazon has blocked outside shopping agents to protect its direct customer
00:41relationships, while Walmart and Target have embraced the technology. Walmart says AI-driven
00:46traffic is attracting new customers and delivering strong conversion rates. Retailers also face
00:52challenges identifying customers, authenticating payments, and managing returns as AI agents
00:57take a larger role in online shopping. For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.
