This post was created in partnership with Kantar

Key takeaways

• AI is changing the shopping landscape
• Retailers need to ground AI recommendations in what drives consumers
• Brands are also using AI to track performance

AI personal shoppers are here, and they’re changing how consumers discover, evaluate, and buy products. From simplifying everyday purchases to delivering inspiration through hyper-personalized recommendations, smart agents are set to reshape the retail journey.

During an ADWEEK House Las Vegas Group Chat co-hosted with Kantar, a panel of industry experts discussed the implications of this shift. They covered affiliate marketing, content strategy, retail media, and in-store tech, examining what AI assistants mean for marketers and how brands can prepare.

Marketing to machines—and people

J. Walker Smith, chief knowledge officer at Kantar, pointed to a key change: “Retail has moved from being brand- and retailer-centric to being more influencer and experience-driven.” 

That shift, he argued, sets the stage for AI to take on a new role, not just as a recommendation engine, but as an agent with outsized influence on what consumers buy.

Neha Singh, chief innovation officer at Infinite Reality, noted that AI offers a path forward through the noise.