The Battle to Control AI Shopping—and What It Means for Consumers

Hello,

A new contest is emerging at the center of online commerce as AI companies, tech platforms and retailers race to redefine how consumers discover and buy products. Instead of search results and storefronts, the next control point may be AI agents that sit between shoppers and merchants—reshaping who owns the customer relationship and who captures the economics.

Our latest Deep Research report, exclusively available to Pro subscribers, examines how this shift is taking shape and who stands to benefit:

• Google's Commerce Push: By embedding shopping directly into AI search and building shared commerce protocols with major retailers, Google is aiming to keep discovery—and advertising—within its ecosystem.
• Amazon's Defensive Line: As it rolls out its own AI shopping tools, Amazon is also blocking rival agents from accessing its data to protect its marketplace and advertising business.
• OpenAI's Partner Strategy: OpenAI is positioning itself as a neutral layer, working with Stripe, Shopify and others to make AI-driven checkout possible across the web.
• The Consumer Trade-Offs: While AI shopping promises convenience and automation, early tools struggle with reliability, trust and the risk of distancing consumers from the brands they buy from.

To understand how AI could reshape the economics of e-commerce and the balance of power between platforms and retailers, you'll need The Information Pro. Take advantage of a special introductory rate of 25% off your Pro subscription.