How AI Agents Are Rewriting Retail: The Rise of Agentic Commerce

Retail has already been transformed by e-commerce, mobile apps, marketplaces and personalisation. The next shift may be even more significant. AI agents can increasingly research products, compare alternatives, interpret customer preferences, recommend options, assist with purchasing and track orders. Are we simply making digital commerce more convenient—or creating an entirely new commercial model? In this episode of Enterprise Tech Talk, Saumitra Kalikar speaks with Charisma Glassman about how agentic commerce could reshape retail and consumer goods. The conversation explores: How agentic commerce is becoming a broader industry shift Where retailers are likely to deploy agentic use cases first How AI agents may change product discovery and customer experience Why brands need machine-readable product information The role of connected customer data, APIs, protocols and governance How retailers can protect differentiation when agents influence purchasing Who is accountable when AI agents make decisions or take action How agentic commerce could change retail operating models How leaders should measure commercial value beyond productivity The foundations and leadership decisions required for responsible scale McKinsey estimates that AI agents could mediate between US$3 trillion and US$5 trillion of global consumer commerce by 2030. The discussion examines what that possibility means in practical terms for retail leaders, CIOs, CTOs, enterprise architects and business executives. About Charisma Glassman Charisma Glassman is VP and Global Head of AI Advisory for Retail and CPG at Genpact. She brings more than two decades of experience across retail, consumer goods, e-commerce, luxury, travel and financial services. She has been recognised among the Top 50 Asian Americans in Business and the Top 25 AI Consultants. She is also a TEDx speaker and an industry advisor in retail AI at Cornell Tech. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:03 Charisma Glassman’s professional journey 03:18 What is agentic commerce? 05:00 The commercial opportunity for retail 07:21 Where retailers are deploying AI agents 09:28 Customer experience and brand differentiation 15:34 Retail data and technology foundations 20:56 Accountability when AI agents act 22:50 Rebuilding the retail operating model 26:57 Measuring the value of agentic commerce 29:19 Moving from pilots to an enterprise AI strategy 31:08 Advice for retail leaders 34:00 Mistakes organisations should avoid 36:14 Key takeaway and closing Visit https://www.enterprisetechtalk.com for more executive insights on enterprise technology, AI, architecture, governance and leadership.