Agentic AI Is Breaking Commerce - Here's How to Win
Agentic AI is no longer a distant future concept - it’s reshaping commerce right now. In this webinar, we talk to two experts from Tomorrow Group, Dora Moldovan (Chief AI Officer at Braidr) and Rick Rodriguez (Director of Strategy at Found) on how AI agents are fundamentally transforming the customer journey, from product discovery to purchase. They break down what brands need to do today to win in an AI-first world, where clicks are becoming less relevant and AI trust is everything.
Join Paul (StudioSpace Co-founder) and Richie as they host a candid conversation about the $47 billion opportunity in Agentic commerce, the collapse of the traditional marketing funnel, and the practical steps you can take to ensure your brand gets recommended by AI systems.
Watch the full webinar
Key takeaways
The traditional marketing funnel is collapsing
The marketing funnel that has served brands for decades—awareness, consideration, conversion—is being fundamentally disrupted by Agentic AI. Instead of consumers moving through multiple touchpoints and stages, an AI agent can now take them from need identification to purchase in a single interaction. As Rick explains, while the “messy middle” model revolutionized how we think about digital journeys, Agentic AI doesn’t add new touchpoints. It eliminates entire stages of the funnel.
Traditionally, a consumer might research on Google, compare on review sites, check social media, and visit brand websites before deciding. An Agentic AI agent does all of that in seconds and presents a single recommendation. This compression of the middle funnel means the old rules of engagement no longer apply.
From clicks to trust: how AI changes marketing metrics
Digital marketing has been built on the currency of clicks for decades. But in an AI-mediated world, clicks become less relevant. What matters is whether the AI trusts your brand enough to recommend it. Dora and Rick emphasize that this represents a fundamental shift in how marketers should think about success.
The old metrics—CTR, CPC, traffic volumes—are being replaced by new ones: AI visibility, AI recommendation rates, and AI-influenced conversions. As Rick points out, “If your brand is the answer, you win. If it’s not, you might not even get considered.” This isn’t about being discovered by humans anymore. It’s about being chosen by algorithms.
Data is your competitive advantage
In an AI-mediated world, data is everything. Dora recommends a holistic approach to data strategy that goes beyond just schema markup and structured data. Brands need to think about their review strategy, content presence across the web, and technical integration with AI systems.
Reviews are critical—AI systems place enormous weight on them because they represent authentic consumer sentiment. Comprehensive product data (specifications, features, use cases) matters. But context matters most: if someone asks for “the best running shoe for flat feet,” the AI needs to know not just that you sell running shoes, but that your specific model is designed for flat feet, has arch support, and is reviewed positively by runners with flat feet. This level of specificity is what wins in an AI-mediated commerce landscape.
The convergence of SEO, GEO, and AEO
Rick introduces three overlapping disciplines: SEO (Search Engine Optimization), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization). All three are fundamentally about making your brand discoverable and trustworthy to both humans and AI systems. Things like structured data, schema markup, high-quality content, authoritative backlinks, and positive reviews serve all three disciplines.
However, the emphasis shifts. For GEO and AEO, brands need to focus more on being comprehensive, accurate, authoritative, and structured in ways that AI systems can easily understand. The goal is to provide highly relevant answers to specific questions—not just be an option among many, but the answer itself.
Timelines are accelerating beyond expectations
The pace of change is unprecedented. Dora shares that what was predicted to happen in 2026 has already arrived. Agentic shopping capabilities are live now, and both ChatGPT and Google are rapidly building infrastructure for mass adoption. In America, if you’re on Shopify or Etsy, you can already buy directly within the chat.
Different categories will roll out on different timelines: retail and FMCG are happening now, travel is next and already beginning, finance and healthcare will follow but with more regulatory considerations. But as Dora emphasizes, “Don’t wait” because things are changing week to week, not year to year. The brands moving now, even in small ways, will have the advantage.
What brands should do right now
Dora’s immediate recommendation: think about your data holistically. Make sure you’re marking up your content correctly with schema, actively managing reviews, maintaining a consistent brand story across the web, and integrating your checkout systems with AI purchasing flows through standards like the agent-to-payment protocol or Model Context Protocol (MCP).
Rick adds that the first step is to audit your AI visibility. Go to ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity and ask them about your category and brand. See what comes back. Are you being recommended? Is the information accurate? This baseline assessment will reveal gaps and help you prioritize actions. And crucially, don’t wait for perfect planning. Analysis paralysis is the enemy when the landscape is changing this fast.
Brand strength matters more than ever
There’s a common misconception that AI makes brand irrelevant. The opposite is true. In a world where AI is making recommendations, brand strength becomes more important. AI systems factor in brand reputation, recognition, and trust. A strong brand with positive associations will be recommended more often than an unknown brand, all else being equal. Your brand story needs to be compelling, consistent, and well-distributed across the web.
Wrapping up
Agentic AI is reshaping how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products. The brands that succeed won’t be those that got the most clicks, but those that earned the trust of AI systems. That means investing in comprehensive, well-structured data; building a strong, consistent brand story; actively managing your reviews and online reputation; and moving quickly to integrate with AI-mediated commerce platforms. The window to get ahead isn’t years away—it’s now.
Book a meeting with Braidr
Book a meeting with Found.
Subscribe to our channel
