AI discovery brings new buyers and higher traffic to merchants.

Google builds an AI-ready measurement hub: New tagging, data flows, and geographic testing help prove marketing’s business impact.

Holding deposits would let Shopify expand popular embedded lending services to SMBs.

AI is rewriting the digital shelf. As discovery shrinks to a handful of recommendations, brands are forced to optimize for both humans and machines or risk disappearing early in the purchase journey.

David’s Bridal shoppers can now make purchases within ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, another signal that retail at large is headed on an AI-enabled path.

In Q1 2026, we analyzed 5,600 ChatGPT responses across nine financial services categories to compile the AI Visibility Index.

This FAQ covers what agentic commerce is, who the key players are, and what brands and advertisers should do about it.

Card payments still anchor commerce despite new digital and economic disruptions. As roles blur across the ecosystem, players are racing to capture more value while defending core revenue streams.

Stablecoins are moving from crypto rails to mainstream payments infrastructure. Regulatory support and institutional investment are accelerating adoption, but consumer trust gaps, fragmentation, and liquidity risks pose near-term hurdles for digital payments.

The platform is introducing ChatGPT ads for merchants as it looks to become the go-to partner for agentic commerce.

US B2B ecommerce continues to expand as it becomes a default buying channel. But slower growth, operational gaps, and marketplace momentum are reshaping where value is created and how sellers compete.

Growing consumer adoption of AI tools is positioning AI platforms as an alternative shopping channel—but most AI-driven transactions are still completed on retailer websites.

A 4% fee puts pressure on merchants and could shift momentum to rivals like Google and Microsoft.

Sluggish fixed point-of-sale (POS) terminal sales are forcing providers to rethink their strategies. From adding softPOS capabilities to adding AI tools and vertical-specific offerings, POS software is becoming the real competitive battleground.

As consumers grow more comfortable with using AI, retail industry leaders see 2026 as a pivotal year in shaping how the emerging technology disrupts the way people shop.

Affirm expanded its partnership with Shopify, bringing Shop Pay installments to the UK, per a press release. PayPal and Klarna’s deep entrenchment in the UK will make it difficult for other BNPL contenders to make advances. Powering Shop Pay installments could help Affirm accelerate its foray into the country thanks to Shopify’s established network of merchants and brand recognition.

In 2026, stablecoins, agentic commerce, and AI-driven rewards will reshape the payments industry. Providers need to bet early or risk being sidelined by faster, cheaper, and more intuitive payment experiences.

In earnings calls from retail leaders, one of the biggest shared signals is that AI shopping assistants are becoming the new front door of the customer journey. Whether the retailer is in grocery, fashion, or general merchandise, conversational search is now the organizing principle for discovery.

As retail media moves from side business to centerpiece, big brands are prioritizing measurement and efficiency to cement the channel as a mature budget item. Retail media will grow almost 20% this year (19.4%) to reach $58.79 billion, according to EMARKETER's September 2025 forecast. In recent earnings calls, tech leaders described a channel that is now about solid data, AI-driven relevance, and reshaping how advertisers reach shoppers.