Agentic AI Forces Brands to Rethink Discovery and Loyalty

Agentic commerce is changing how consumers discover and buy, as brands deploy AI agents as autonomous team members to predict demand, optimize pricing, and communicate with customers automatically.

However, AI’s growing potential does not change the foundation of a strong marketing strategy. Brands still need to meet customers wherever they are, according to Klaviyo, a marketing automation platform provider. What is changing rapidly is how shoppers research, compare, and purchase — moving through AI-powered assistants rather than manually navigating websites, social platforms, email, search, and in-store experiences.

Small businesses and larger brands must invest in platforms that capture customer behavior across both online and in-person buying journeys. They also need to enable automated, personalized outreach on owned channels, Klaviyo Co-founder and CEO Andrew Bialecki said.

AI has already disrupted online shopping, accelerating changes in how people shop and how brands connect with consumers.

According to Bialecki, AI has ushered in a new era of commerce, shifting from a side tool to the center of e-commerce. AI services such as ChatGPT are evolving into storefronts where consumers can discover products, complete purchases, and check out in a single chat.

“It’s one of many shifts redefining how people shop and how brands connect with consumers. This makes it imperative that brands assemble a unified view of the customer across every touchpoint by connecting data, context, and action,” he told CRM Buyer.

Survey Shows AI’s Expanding Role in Commerce

Klaviyo’s 2025 Global AI Shopping Index surveyed 3,000 consumers across the U.S., U.K., and Australia between Aug. 5 and 12, 2025, to unveil how deeply AI is disrupting online shopping. Key findings include:

• 78% have used AI for shopping or product research in the past three months
• 65% expect AI shopping assistants to be a regular part of online shopping by 2026
• 75% have abandoned a purchase because they could not get instant answers, showing why real-time, AI-powered support matters
• 89% of respondents are open to AI managing orders, like tracking or delivery changes

As AI alters discovery, loyalty still belongs to the brand. Increasingly, AI’s role in commerce centers on delivering value and convenience.

Regardless of the shopping channel, brands that connect every signal and deliver consistent experiences long after the first purchase are more likely to retain customers, the survey suggests.

“AI is creating a new era of autonomous commerce,” Bialecki said. “As agents, channels, and tools start to work together, brands can finally move from reacting to anticipating and delivering experiences that happen instantly and intelligently.”

AI Changing the Future of Commerce

According to Bialecki, commerce is no longer just about owning customer relationships. It is increasingly about building systems that learn and act on a brand’s behalf.

Klaviyo’s platform is designed to support both business-to-consumer brands and individual retailers. It integrates with e-commerce platforms such as Shopify to activate customer data for automated, data-driven strategies.

“It’s a really exciting time for e-commerce. AI is moving from being a tool brands use to something that can act intelligently on their behalf,” he observed. That means less time managing systems and more time focusing on customers. AI can now handle the routine, connect the dots, and anticipate what people need.

“To make that possible, brands need three things: a single source of truth for customer data; AI that can think and act, not just predict; and strong owned channels to turn intent into lasting relationships,” Bialecki said.

Building AI-Powered Virtual Storefronts

This shift away from traditional, brand-owned websites is changing how brands approach discovery and customer acquisition. Brands should embrace AI assistants as part of their omnichannel strategy and explore emerging frameworks like OpenAI’s Agentic Commerce Protocol to enable direct transactions and leverage these channels for product discovery and new customer acquisition, Bialecki suggested.

“This is the start of a long-running relationship that brands can then build with their customers using platforms like Klaviyo,” he said.

Owned channels like email, SMS, push, WhatsApp, and the customer profiles behind them remain a brand’s most valuable assets. They are portable, durable, and entirely under their control.

“The key is to turn AI-assisted interactions into owned relationships by driving users to brand properties where they can share contact information and consent in exchange for personalized value, such as a coupon or exclusive offer,” Bialecki explained.

Maximize Consumers’ Extended Discovery and Buying Phases

Brands must leverage AI and personalization to nurture shoppers through this new, AI-driven buying cycle, Bialecki recommended. The company’s research shows that the days of frenzied last-minute panic buying are behind us.

“Consumers are using AI to plan, research, and buy with purpose. In turn, shoppers are more intentional about what they buy and when. Product views across e-commerce sites are up 37% year over year, and apparel and accessories brands now see 21 product views per order, up from 16 last year,” he noted.

Bialecki observed that AI does more than help people find products. It is becoming a fundamental part of the post-purchase experience.

“Our Global AI Shopping Index found consumers are increasingly comfortable letting AI handle the details, with 89% open to AI managing tracking updates and 84% trusting it to handle personalized reorders,” he said.

He urged brands to capitalize on these moments of intent and personalize their outreach accordingly. A well-timed reminder, recommendation, or price update, delivered at the right moment and across multiple channels and touchpoints, can turn thoughtful browsing into confident buying.

“These are margin-friendly opportunities to deepen relationships without adding cost. By automating routine updates and reorders, AI keeps customers engaged while freeing up teams for higher-value work,” he explained.

Bialecki continued, “Unified customer data gives AI the full picture, allowing it to identify opportunities to re-engage, suggest a next purchase, or proactively resolve issues before they become support tickets. It’s how service shifts from reactive to proactive and from a cost center to a revenue driver.”

The Next New AI-Driven Skill Around the Corner

The Global AI Shopping Index shows that consumers currently use AI to find deals. Soon, they will also want help comparing products (48%) and staying on budget (41%).

Bialecki sees the next significant shift being the adoption of agentic commerce, with AI acting as a fully independent shopping assistant. It will help people manage what to buy, when to buy it, and how to stay on budget.

“AI agents won’t just recommend products. They will understand context and timing. In the next year or two, shoppers will expect this level of proactive, personalized help every time they shop,” he predicted. “We’ll also start to see customer agents on new channels like SMS and WhatsApp.”