FI
SV
EN
E-commerce is undergoing a massive transformation, especially in the United States, where the shift is already in full swing. Consumers are moving away from search engines and turning to AI services and agents, fundamentally changing how purchases are made. Companies face major changes and development challenges—and falling behind is a real risk.
Read the summary (Generated by AI, checked by a human)
- Purchasing is shifting to AI services: Consumers increasingly use generative AI tools to search and compare products – and soon, actual purchasing will happen directly through these services.
- This shift demands action from companies: E-commerce interfaces must be accessible to AI and enable direct transactions via AI services. See the checklist at the end of the article.
- Early action is key: In a rapidly evolving AI landscape, pioneers thrive – waiting may lead to customer loss and shrinking market share.
The pace of change is rapid. Usage of many traditional e-commerce platforms and services has dropped by tens of percent. At the same time, the use of AI services in shopping is skyrocketing.
The U.S. leads the way. Adobe reports that traffic from AI services to e-commerce sites grew at an annual rate of 4,700% this summer. More than half of Americans plan to use generative AI services for shopping this year.
Globally, others are catching up fast. McKinsey estimates that within five years, consumers may be spending €2,500–4,300 billion annually through AI agents.
“We’re witnessing a major shift: purchasing is moving from search engines to AI services and agents. Consumer behavior is changing completely,” summarizes Mikko Sairanen, Director of digital services and customer experience at Digia.
The shift is gradual – AI is taking over traditional E-commerce
Currently, AI services are mainly used for comparing products and exploring options. Many people use AI to plan vacations. Sairanen shares his own experience:
“I told the AI about our family and our holiday preferences. We were considering either the Far East or Italy, and the AI immediately suggested Italy due to better weather during our travel dates. It then helped us find a destination and accommodation. One of AI’s strengths is that you can keep refining your criteria endlessly.”
The challenge often lies in transitioning from AI services to actual purchases in online stores. Even Sairanen’s family left many services unpurchased due to friction in foreign platforms.
Soon, products can be purchased directly through ChatGPT – AI is stepping into a bigger role than traditional e-commerce.
But the situation is changing. OpenAI recently released interfaces that allow direct purchases within AI services. AI companies are rapidly developing agents that can make purchases independently based on user preferences. Eventually, these agents may even collaborate with each other.
“More than half of Gen Z would be willing to outsource travel booking to an AI agent. It’s clear that the role of traditional e-commerce platforms is diminishing—and may even disappear,” says Sairanen.
Critical development work ahead
This shift in AI-driven shopping means significant development projects for companies.
“Traditional e-commerce has been developed for over 20 years, with heavy investment in user experience and search engine visibility. But that’s no longer enough when the entire way of buying is changing,” Sairanen notes.
Companies must assess how well their online stores are visible to AI—and whether purchases can be made directly through AI. Later, they’ll need to decide when to invest in agent-based commerce.
“The key is whether your interfaces are ready to serve AI and even support automated transactions. This may require changes to your e-commerce architecture.”
A telling example is meal planning, where many already use AI. AI can generate shopping lists from selected meals. Sooner or later, we’ll move to a model where AI and agents can order those items directly. For grocery e-commerce, success will depend on how well this works—and whether AI can access details like delivery times for individual products.
If your services aren’t accessible to AI agents, they may effectively vanish from consumer view.
The shift may progress even faster in B2B commerce. AI agents could soon automatically order raw materials and components for industrial processes.
This evolution is already visible in Digia’s customer projects, where agent-based AI is being built for various industries and processes. Examples include agents that simplify appointment booking and internal purchasing in e-commerce. You can explore Digia’s AI customer implementations here.
“The big question in tech transitions like this is: when is the right time for your company to go all in? Starting early means a longer payback period—but your organization learns to operate in the new world,” Sairanen says.
AI is evolving so fast that waiting is risky. Sairanen reminds us that many industries will see new players disrupting the market with innovative AI services. If your services aren’t accessible to AI agents, they may disappear from consumer view.
“If the predictions hold, we’re in for some dramatic changes. It’s smart to get moving early.”
E-commerce players, take note:
- How discoverable is your store to AI? Ensure your GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is in good shape.
- Are your interfaces ready to provide essential data to AI services and agents?
- Can you enable purchases directly through AI services? You may need to update your e-commerce architecture.
- Consider how AI and agents affect personalization and marketing. According to Commercetools, over 70% of brands believe AI will revolutionize these strategies. Early adopters grow at a rate of 10% annually.
- Know your audience: how do they use AI, and when is the right time for your company to invest in agent-based commerce?
Join our webinar (in Finnish) to discover the exciting new synergy between artificial intelligence and digital commerce. Gain insights about the evolving buying journey and explore how Agentic Commerce, AI-agents, and innovative customer service solutions can unlock powerful opportunities for your business.
.jpg?width=768&height=348&name=AI-agentit-768x346px-en%20(1).jpg)