Your next customer might be an AI agent

Being visible to customers is one thing. Being understood and chosen by the AI agents increasingly acting on their behalf is another.

The shift isn't simply AI helping someone find a product. It's what happens when an agent can compare options, select one based on someone's needs and handle much of the purchasing process.

In October 2026, Shopify opened its catalogue of more than a billion product listings to a wider range of AI agents, allowing people to configure their assistants to shop on their behalf. The customer still approves the purchase, but the agent does much of the work leading up to it.

Businesses are paying attention. Nearly 60% of UAE businesses are strongly interested in or actively exploring agentic commerce, according to Visa. Consumer behaviour tells a more nuanced story. While 85% of UAE consumers have used AI to assist with shopping, only 32% trust AI agents to complete checkout. People are becoming comfortable using AI to help them make decisions, but handing over the decision itself is a different proposition.

As this develops, brands will need to compete on more than visibility. Price, availability and specifications will help agents compare options, but a brand's reputation, the quality of its offer and its reasons for commanding a higher price can also influence the choice.

That puts greater importance on both brand clarity and digital maturity. Businesses need a clear proposition, consistent product information and credible evidence that systems can access and interpret. A digital presence designed only for people to browse may not be enough.

The challenge isn't to build a brand for AI instead of people. It's to make the value that sets you apart clear to both the people buying and the systems increasingly helping them decide.