FromDayOne, Inc's logo
STORIES
Feature BY Lisa Lacy | October 08, 2025

Meet the AI Shopping Agents That Are Rewriting Retail Marketing

As the world waited with bated breath for Apple to release details about its 17th iPhone, the New York Times posed an intriguing question: What comes after the smartphone?Spoiler alert: The answer varies, but it could be smart glasses or a smart watch or maybe an ambient computer in another form.At the center of this shift are AI agents, the next generation of virtual assistants, which some of the best and brightest minds in tech believe will know us better than we know ourselves. Eventually.They’re already starting to emerge from the retailers and tech companies we already know with a focus on shopping. And the potential is far greater, which signals big shifts for consumers, brands and retailers. First, the players in this space will have to overcome fairly massive skepticism. But, once they do, and experts think they will, they will become the target of all future brand messaging.Here’s what you need to know about them now:What is an AI shopping agent?Amazon users can ask Rufus questions about products and services (image via Amazon)AI shopping agents are virtual assistants that help consumers find, compare and purchase products or services.According to a report from software company Salesforce, agents can also add items to carts and assist with checkout, although it’s still very early days for this functionality.Depending who you ask, examples include Amazon’s Rufus and Walmart’s Sparky, as well as generative AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.What’s the latest with shopping agents?A July 2025 study from market research firm YouGov found 43% of respondents had heard of AI shopping agents, but only 14% had used one. Among those who have tried them out, 44% said they asked product questions, while 41% used them to find products and 34% sought help with pricing.But there are signs of consumer interest: 22% said they’re willing to give AI shopping assistants a shot—mostly for finding the best deals (67%), comparing similar products (56%) and getting product information (55%).What problems do shopping agents solve?In traditional e-commerce, consumers type in queries and are served product results and ads. But on a site like Amazon, which has 600 million listings by some estimates, results can go on and on. This infinite shelf space is a double-edged sword. Yes, it enables shoppers to hunt for the exact right item at any given moment. But they have to do a lot of scrolling and research first. And this is amplified with each additional site included in the shopping journey.The main pitch for shopping agents is this: They do the research for you—and return a handful of carefully curated options.That’s according to Melissa Bridgeford, CEO of Wizard, a startup building an AI shopping agent slated to launch in then first quarter of 2026, who called the experience “kind of like the anti-search.”Here, the agent does the heavy lifting in the discovery phase, researching factors like prices, shipping speed and reviews, and it can do so a lot faster than human shoppers. “It can aggregate so much more information from a wider variety of sources than we might be able to aggregate ourselves,” added Kiri Masters, an analyst and podcaster focused on retail media. Plus, fraudulent and counterfeit goods have become an increasing problem for online marketplaces. Amazon disclosed it removed 15 million counterfeit products in 2024 alone—and that’s just one example. Shopping agents can at least theoretically cut through this noise and help consumers make more confident purchases.“Consumers fear getting things wrong. A bad fit, a waste of money, fake reviews, all that stuff,” said Jason Alan Snyder, chief AI officer at advertising giant IPG and co-founder of AI data startup SuperTruth. “[An agent] promises certainty across references, reviews, product data, content and your past preferences.” What is driving this shift?At the International Consumer Electronics Show in 2016, appliance brand Whirlpool teamed up with Amazon to announce a smart washing machine that could reorder laundry supplies when they were running low. It reportedly came with a price tag of $1,399, or about $1,900 today, according to an inflation calculator from the U.S. Department of Labor.Cost may have been a contributing factor as to why smart appliances like this did not take off in 2016. But it’s also true Americans were simply not yet ready to hand over purchasing decisions to inanimate objects. They’re closer now. Ordering groceries, food delivery or even car rides with strangers are much more common following the pandemic—and related consumer behavior changes. Five years after the pandemic, e-commerce is still growing. According to a recent report, U.S. e-commerce sales hit $1.19 trillion in 2024, which means they have more than doubled since 2019.Shopping agents are also getting a boost thanks to the quick adoption of generative AI. A 2024 Harvard study found more than 39% of Americans between 18 and 64 had used gen AI in the two years following ChatGPT’s launch. By comparison, just 20% had used the internet two years after its debut and it took the same number of people in the U.S. a full three years to give PCs a shot.“The adoption rate on [conversational interfaces] is so steep,” Bridgeford said. “And that really creates tailwinds around the adoption of the entire agent experience.”What challenges exist with shopping agents?According to Salesforce, shopping agents provide personalized responses and recommendations, which yield a better experience, as well as increased conversion rates and higher average order value. Yet YouGov found 56% of Americans have no interest in using them—and 41% don’t trust them. Like the early days of e-commerce, Masters noted consumers are still wary of handing over their payment information to agents.Another big and growing problem is fraud. “These AI tools in general allow fraudsters to do everything better, faster, cheaper than they already do. So, identity theft, return fraud–all the permutations of fraud that we have available–can scale much faster,” Masters said. But YouGov remains optimistic. Per the report, the key to driving adoption is proving agents add value, like finding the best price and offering trustworthy information about the products in question.How will shopping agents evolve?As time goes on, agents will get to know you and your shopping habits better and will become more proactive.“It’s the agent that knows you better than you know yourself, that remembers things for you, that’s able to suggest things,” Bridgeford said. “It knows the brands you like. It knows the price points you feel comfortable with. It knows the size of your household, so when you’re in small New York apartments, it’s not suggesting some massive coffeemaker.”And, of course, shopping is only the beginning. Booking flights, hotels and restaurants is a natural extension. So is recommending credit cards, loans and investments or even helping you choose the lab tests, supplements and wearables most relevant to your biomarker data, Snyder said. “What’s really cool with agents is they can negotiate,” he said. “So you can have your shopping agent bargain with a seller’s agent. Everything becomes like a Moroccan marketplace.”Think: negotiating better credit terms on your behalf—or even weeding through potential matches on dating apps. “You could have matches based on circadian rhythm compatibility,” Snyder said. “That sounds crazy, but that’s a morning person or that’s a night owl.”What should marketers know about shopping assistants?That negotiation component has profound implications for brands and marketers.When agents become the intermediary between consumers and brands/retailers, advertising as we know it won’t work anymore. For Snyder, that means eventually agents will only allow brands to reach you if they pay a fair price for your attention and data.“It’s future-proofing yourself against manipulation,” he said. “Right now, ads and algorithms are constantly pushing products at you, but an agent would act for you and would filter out all that manipulative content.”Ultimately, brands will have to adjust messaging to appeal to agents as their recommendations will become the new sponsored search results. “Brands need to optimize for machine readability and agent trust,” Snyder added. “That means structured data provenance, ethical sourcing, health compatibility, ethical compatibility, all of those things.”This shift to agents has huge implications for online marketing more broadly, too.“My big existential question for retailers is if human eyeballs are not going to your website or app anymore because an agent is doing it for them, what happens to retail media? What happens to onsite sponsored product ads?” Masters asked. “You’re not going to see those ads. So that whole onsite retail media business model is threatened and, to some degree, what's called offsite retail media is threatened as well.”Her advice to retailers is to really think about what distinguishes them from their competitors—and to invest in loyalty programs as a “moat.”For Snyder, it will be the end of the marketing funnel, but consumer experience remains. That means brands and marketers will be wise to focus on brand communities, content ecosystems, and live events.Lisa Lacy is a freelance writer based in Atlanta. She was formerly ADWEEK's commerce editor, focusing on retail and the growing reach of Amazon. She has covered marketing and technology for more than a decade for publications like TechCrunch, CMO.com, VentureBeat, The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires, ClickZ and Search Engine Watch.(Photo by guoya/iStock)

Story cover image
Feature BY Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | September 09, 2025

What Unusual Jobs Taught Me About Hiring, Retention, and the Talent You’re Overlooking

Paddy Fanning never set out to become one of the best sheepdog trainers in the world. He was a cowboy working on a Canadian cattle ranch when he came across an old book on horsemanship that described the magical give-and-take between humans and animals. Back in Ireland, as he worked to recover from a drinking problem, he put those lessons into practice with a border collie on his father’s sheep farm, and, in the process, discovered a new sense of purpose.Twenty years later, Paddy has represented Ireland in international herding dog competitions and earned a reputation as one of the finest trainers alive. “I’m probably still a bit unemployable,” he told me, laughing. “You hear my job there, and I don’t really have one. And yet we do okay. Dogs have given me all that. I just feel glad with the way the whole deal turned out.”For the last six years, I’ve been writing about work. How people get their jobs and how they lose them, the relationship between employer and the employed, and how all of us find meaning in our work. I frequently meet people who are unhappy with their careers. But I noticed something: People who have unconventional jobs often are happy with their work.So I started searching for the people who have jobs they don’t tell you about in school, roles that don’t show up on job boards: the death doulas, sheepdog trainers, puppeteers, and Foley artists of the world. And I made a podcast about it, called How to Be Anything.Each episode tells the story of someone with an unusual job, and after interviewing 15 of them, I realized their lessons aren’t only for people whose careers take them off the beaten path. Their wisdom and experiences are relevant for anyone working today–including those in corporate America. Some of my findings: Self-Determination Is a Powerful Retention ToolFrom Day One contributing editor and journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza takes you inside the world of unique and unexpected jobs in her podcastAlmost everyone I spoke with chose their job intentionally. Sometimes it took years (or decades) to find, but in the end they carved out space to do work they found meaningful. That self-determination is a powerful reason they stay.Puppetry artist Heidi Rugg built a career by weaving together all the art forms she loves, and her work became stronger once she focused on the environmental themes that deeply matter to her. On the TV Show Dimension 20, lorekeeper (kind of like a script supervisor) Skye Smith designed their own system for tracking the plot, a process they owned from start to finish. For Smith, the real satisfaction comes from being taken seriously. “If I have opinions, I get to say them and they get taken into consideration, which I think is a huge blessing, especially as someone who's young and I didn’t finish college,” Smith told me.And when veterinarian Cindy Otto worked at Ground Zero after 9/11, she saw firsthand the need for better medical care for search-and-rescue dogs. Backed by the University of Pennsylvania, she launched an entire research program to address it, and now is on the leading edge of working-dog science. When workers have the freedom to pursue ideas that matter personally to them, they’re far more likely to stick around.Everyone Needs to See the Fruits of Their LaborWork feels meaningful when you can see its impact.Forensic artist Melissa Cooper has seen her sketches lead directly to the capture of violent criminals, and she draws joy from knowing she’s giving power and a voice to survivors. Gavin Cox, a research scientist who works a mile underground searching for dark matter, described the satisfaction of spending a month designing a procedure to safely move liquified xenon gas, a high-stakes task that required precision and patience. “That’s when I feel proud of my work,” he told me.Employees don’t need a dramatic story to feel accomplished, but they do need to see that the outcomes of their contributions matter.I asked veterinarian Cindy Otto what she thinks of her career now that retirement is in sight. She told me that at a recent veterinary symposium, a presenter asked the crowd for a show of hands: Who had been affected by the Penn Vet Working Dog Center and the work they’ve done? Every single person in the room raised their hand. “I think about it a lot,” she told me. “I’ve made a difference. I’ve made an impact,” she said. Excellence Requires Freedom to FailNo one starts out as an award-winning sheepdog trainer or an award-winning Foley artist. You start as lousy, and then you become okay, and then you become good–and then you become great.That’s why the famous Jack Welch mentality of routinely cutting lowest performers (a practice now back in vogue in 2025) is so damaging. It sends a message to your employees that stumbling is a punishable offense, and eliminates the top performers of the future.Organizations that want innovation have to accept that employees will struggle, or even fail, on their way to mastery.Careers Are Built on Soft SkillsBrendon King has been climbing 500-foot cell towers for more than a decade. The hardest part isn’t fixing the electronics, it’s staying calm when the steel tower sways like a noodle in the wind. Patience, composure, and a little bit of thrill-seeking keep him safe. The technical skills, like repairing fiber optic cables and network switches, those are things he learned on the job. But the best part? “It’s a constant adventure, no matter how you look at it,” he said. “I’ve been in places where people have lived there their entire lives and they’ve never once seen the view that I get to see. It’s amazing.”Similarly, Erin Bishop spent two decades in market research before becoming a death doula. You might be surprised that running a focus group translates quite well to conducting community discussions about death and dying. “Having a career that helps me be a better person in the world—I never thought I would have that in my life,” she told me.Too often, employers seek out candidates who have direct experience, and miss out on remarkably talented people with unconventional career paths.Work Should Be EnjoyableBusiness leaders love to talk about purpose and meaning. They want employees to connect to the company mission, touting its ability to increase engagement and retention. It’s true, and there’s evidence to back it up. But purpose alone isn’t enough.The people I spoke with not only find meaning in their unconventional jobs, but enjoy them in the moment. An employee may love working at a company that saves lives with medical equipment or helps people afford homes. But if the day-to-day is tedious, they won’t stay. Meaning is important, but fun doesn’t get enough credit.Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is an independent journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about business and the world of work. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Inc., and Business Insider, among others. She is the recipient of a Virginia Press Association award for business and financial journalism. She is the host of How to Be Anything, the podcast about people with unusual jobs.(Featured photo courtesy of forensic artist Melissa Cooper)

Story cover image

What Our Attendees are Saying

Jordan Baker(Attendee) profile picture

“The panels were phenomenal. The breakout sessions were incredibly insightful. I got the opportunity to speak with countless HR leaders who are dedicated to improving people’s lives. I walked away feeling excited about my own future in the business world, knowing that many of today’s people leaders are striving for a more diverse, engaged, and inclusive workforce.”

– Jordan Baker, Emplify
Desiree Booker(Attendee) profile picture

“Thank you, From Day One, for such an important conversation on diversity and inclusion, employee engagement and social impact.”

– Desiree Booker, ColorVizion Lab
Kim Vu(Attendee) profile picture

“Timely and much needed convo about the importance of removing the stigma and providing accessible mental health resources for all employees.”

– Kim Vu, Remitly
Florangela Davila(Attendee) profile picture

“Great discussion about leadership, accountability, transparency and equity. Thanks for having me, From Day One.”

– Florangela Davila, KNKX 88.5 FM
Cory Hewett(Attendee) profile picture

“De-stigmatizing mental health illnesses, engaging stakeholders, arriving at mutually defined definitions for equity, and preventing burnout—these are important topics that I’m delighted are being discussed at the From Day One conference.”

– Cory Hewett, Gimme Vending Inc.
Trisha Stezzi(Attendee) profile picture

“Thank you for bringing speakers and influencers into one space so we can all continue our work scaling up the impact we make in our organizations and in the world!”

– Trisha Stezzi, Significance LLC
Vivian Greentree(Attendee) profile picture

“From Day One provided a full day of phenomenal learning opportunities and best practices in creating & nurturing corporate values while building purposeful relationships with employees, clients, & communities.”

– Vivian Greentree, Fiserv
Chip Maxwell(Attendee) profile picture

“We always enjoy and are impressed by your events, and this was no exception.”

– Chip Maxwell, Emplify
Katy Romero(Attendee) profile picture

“We really enjoyed the event yesterday— such an engaged group of attendees and the content was excellent. I'm feeling great about our decision to partner with FD1 this year.”

– Katy Romero, One Medical
Kayleen Perkins(Attendee) profile picture

“The From Day One Conference in Seattle was filled with people who want to make a positive impact in their company, and build an inclusive culture around diversity and inclusion. Thank you to all the panelists and speakers for sharing their expertise and insights. I'm looking forward to next year's event!”

– Kayleen Perkins, Seattle Children's
Michaela Ayers(Attendee) profile picture

“I had the pleasure of attending From Day One. My favorite session, Getting Bias Out of Our Systems, was such a powerful conversation between local thought leaders.”

– Michaela Ayers, Nourish Events
Sarah J. Rodehorst(Attendee) profile picture

“Inspiring speakers and powerful conversations. Loved meeting so many talented people driving change in their organizations. Thank you From Day One! I look forward to next year’s event!”

– Sarah J. Rodehorst, ePerkz
Angela Prater(Attendee) profile picture

“I had the distinct pleasure of attending From Day One Seattle. The Getting Bias Out of Our Systems discussion was inspirational and eye-opening.”

– Angela Prater, Confluence Health
Joel Stupka(Attendee) profile picture

“From Day One did an amazing job of providing an exceptional experience for both the attendees and vendors. I mean, we had whale sharks and giant manta rays gracefully swimming by on the other side of the hall from our booth!”

– Joel Stupka, SkillCycle
Alexis Hauk(Attendee) profile picture

“Last week I had the honor of moderating a panel on healthy work environments at the From Day One conference in Atlanta. I was so inspired by what these experts had to say about the timely and important topics of mental health in the workplace and the value of nurturing a culture of psychological safety.”

– Alexis Hauk, Emory University