There should be no bigger discussion in the pages of digital marketers than how Google’s agentic commerce shift is reshaping search and shopping. On the one hand, the new agentic AI mode brings security, ease of shopping, and variety to search, but it also increases the zero-click hurdle that has been changing the SEO landscape.
At the National Retail Federation (NRF) 2026, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced that users will soon be able to shop directly within Google’s AI mode and on Gemini. This move marks a significant step in Google’s agentic commerce strategy, positioning the company to compete more effectively with OpenAI, Microsoft, and Perplexity. Agentic artificial intelligence is capable of autonomous decision-making and actions.
It is becoming central to the search experience, and its impact on SEO is profound and multifaceted. That’s why it is no surprise that everyone is talking about the AI mode from Google. A post on Reddit broke the news and immediately generated a shower of responses.
“Google is launching a new open-source initiative to allow AI Agents to interact with e-commerce pages to make instant purchases of the listed products (AI Mode, organic search, and Gemini APP) without ever going to websites.“
Understanding Agentic AI in Search
“To start, says the Reddit post, UCP will soon power a new checkout feature on eligible Google product listings in AI Mode in Search and the Gemini app, allowing shoppers to check out from eligible U.S. retailers right as they’re researching on Google.”
Even with all this information online, most businesses are still unaware or even unprepared to deal with the upcoming changes in search and SEO. Here is a detailed breakdown.
Agentic AI refers to systems that act independently on behalf of users, making choices and executing tasks without constant human input. In the context of search engines, the agentic mode can analyze user intent, suggest products, and even complete purchases directly within the search interface. Google’s integration of such capabilities into Gemini and AI mode transforms search from a passive information retrieval process into an interactive, action-oriented platform.
According to eMarketer, Google has big plans for dominating this new digital marketing channel. Yet the most important impact is how it reduces the path between “discovery and purchase.”
“Like its competitors, Google is pitching agentic commerce as a marked improvement to the current ecommerce experience, compressing the path between discovery and purchase while making it easier for consumers to find products that best fit their needs.”
Agentic Commerce: The New Shopping Paradigm
With the ability to shop directly in Google’s AI-powered environments, consumers experience a seamless journey from search to purchase. This agentic commerce model reduces friction, increases conversion rates, and enhances personalization. For retailers, it means greater visibility and new opportunities to engage shoppers where decisions are made—within the AI itself.
As Google steps up its efforts, competition from OpenAI, Microsoft, and Perplexity is driving innovation and accelerating the adoption of agent-based AI in commerce.
Agentic AI Modes: How OpenAI, Microsoft, and Perplexity Are Transforming Commerce
Open AI’s Agentic Shopping Experience
OpenAI has introduced agentic features within its platforms, such as ChatGPT, enabling users to research products, compare options, and make purchases directly through conversational interfaces. The AI autonomously curates product recommendations based on user preferences and can facilitate transactions without constant user intervention, streamlining the shopping experience from discovery to checkout.
Microsoft’s Integration of Agentic AI in Commerce
Microsoft is leveraging agent-based AI in its search engine, Bing, and across Microsoft Shopping. The agentic mode analyzes user queries, considers contextual information, and presents tailored product suggestions. Microsoft’s AI agents can handle the entire transaction process, including payment and delivery arrangements, allowing shoppers to complete purchases with minimal effort.
Perplexity’s Autonomous Commerce Engine
Perplexity’s agentic artificial intelligence is designed to interpret complex shopping intents and autonomously locate, evaluate, and purchase products for users. By integrating deep learning models with real-time commerce data, Perplexity’s platform offers highly personalized shopping experiences, making recommendations and executing purchases based on user-defined criteria and preferences.
Agentic AI’s Impact on Holiday Sales
During the most recent Christmas holiday, agentic AI played a significant role in facilitating online sales. In a detailed article on the matter, RetailWire said: “It had a significant impact on the 2025 holiday shopping season, driving an estimated $262 billion in retail sales globally and influencing approximately 20% of all online orders. This marks a major shift towards a new era of “agentic shopping” where AI plays a more autonomous role in the consumer journey.”
Estimates indicate that approximately 18% to 22% of all e-commerce transactions were conducted autonomously by agentic AI systems on behalf of customers. This surge reflects the growing trust and reliance on AI-powered shopping agents, as consumers increasingly turn to these technologies for convenience and personalized recommendations.
In the same article, eMarketer laid out the AI models that Google will introduce.
- Direct Offers, an ad pilot that allows advertisers to deliver special promotions, such as a 20% discount, within AI mode to encourage a purchase. The tool analyzes shopper intent and context to determine when to display the deal.
- Business Agent, a customer service agent that can answer product questions in a brand’s voice. These agents will also eventually provide performance insights and facilitate agentic checkout.
SEO in the Age of Agentic AI
According to Onncrawl, the agentic model
“.. is revolutionizing SEO by enabling autonomous, self-improving systems to handle complex tasks like content optimization, real-time monitoring, and predictive analysis, shifting focus from manual execution to high-level strategy and ensuring content meets evolving AI-driven user intent, making traditional keyword stuffing obsolete and prioritizing comprehensive, user-focused information and structured data for better brand discoverability.“
The rise of agentic AI is redefining traditional SEO strategies. Instead of optimizing for static search results, brands must now focus on how their products and content are represented within AI-driven environments. Structured data, rich product feeds, and conversational content become crucial, as agentic systems rely on these elements to understand offerings and make autonomous recommendations.
Additionally, SEO professionals must consider the AI’s capacity to interpret user intent and context. Optimizing for natural language queries, providing clear and actionable product information, and ensuring compatibility with AI interfaces are essential. As agentic AI systems increasingly handle transactions, brands that adapt their SEO strategies to facilitate AI-driven commerce will gain a competitive edge.
How Can You Adapt to the New AI Agents
- Strategic Focus: Delegate routine and repetitive tasks to automated agents, enabling you to concentrate on strategic planning and critical decision-making processes. This shift allows for more efficient use of time and resources, fostering innovation and growth within your organization.
- Emphasize Quality and Purpose: Focus on creating comprehensive, high-quality content that genuinely addresses complex issues. Such content should demonstrate your expertise, provide real value to your audience, and serve a clear purpose, thereby enhancing your credibility and authority in your field.
- Utilize Structured Data: Incorporate structured data into your website and content to improve how AI systems interpret and understand your information. Proper use of structured data enhances search engine visibility, facilitates better content categorization, and supports AI-driven applications in accurately retrieving and utilizing your data.
- Adopt AI Solutions: Implement AI-powered tools for various tasks such as brainstorming ideas, improving content quality, conducting technical reviews, and monitoring performance metrics. These tools can streamline workflows, increase productivity, and provide insights that inform strategic decisions.
- Get Ready for Agentic Search: Prepare your website for the evolving landscape of AI-driven search by optimizing its accessibility and functionality. Ensure that AI agents can efficiently execute tasks beyond simple link retrieval, such as understanding content context, performing complex queries, and interacting with your site’s features to deliver a seamless user experience.
Challenges and Opportunities
While agentic AI offers enhanced efficiency and personalization, it also presents challenges for SEO. The opacity of AI decision-making processes can make it difficult to predict how products will be surfaced and recommended. Businesses must invest in data quality, transparency, and adaptability to thrive in this new landscape.
On the opportunity side, agentic AI opens doors to deeper customer engagement and more meaningful interactions. By leveraging AI’s ability to connect users with relevant products and services autonomously, brands can build loyalty and drive sales in ways previously unattainable through traditional search.
By leveraging AI’s ability to connect users with relevant products and services autonomously, brands can build loyalty and drive sales in ways previously unattainable through traditional search.
Major retailers and commerce platforms are already embracing agentic AI technology, with companies like Walmart, Target, and Shopify approving and integrating the Google agent into their online ecosystems.
Walmart and Target have enhanced their digital storefronts to support AI-powered shopping assistants, allowing customers to receive personalized product recommendations, streamlined checkout experiences, and real-time inventory updates.
Shopify, a leading e-commerce platform, has equipped its merchants with tools to connect their stores to Google’s agentic commerce framework. This integration enables millions of independent sellers to benefit from autonomous product discovery and seamless transaction processing.
The rapid adoption of Google agentic AI by these influential companies signals a new era of intelligent commerce, driving industry-wide innovation and setting new standards for customer engagement and satisfaction.
Conclusion
As Google’s agentic commerce initiatives reshape the search and shopping experience, the role of SEO is evolving rapidly. Agentic AI is not just a technological upgrade—it’s a fundamental shift in how users discover, evaluate, and purchase products online. Businesses that embrace this change and optimize for agentic environments will be well-positioned to succeed in the future of search-driven commerce.
