Cognizant: How to Tackle the Rise of the Agentic Internet

Technology adoption accelerating across the world is reshaping consumer behaviour in its wake.

Today, there is a rising cohort of tech-fluent shoppers now demanding increasingly intelligent and customised retail experiences.

Dissatisfied with the cumbersome nature of conventional online shopping platforms, these consumers are increasingly abandoning traditional retail channels, instead turning to AI-powered tools and social commerce to fulfil their requirements with greater efficiency.

This transition heralds the emergence of the ‘agentic internet’ – an environment where AI extends beyond conversational interfaces – where it doesn’t just talk to customers, but actively makes decisions and purchases on their behalf.

According to Cognizant’s New Minds, New Markets research, AI agents could influence over half of all purchases by 2030, driving £690bn (US$913bn) in UK consumer spending alone.

“For businesses, this is a wake-up call,” says Duncan Roberts, Associate Director at Cognizant Research.

“If the AI can’t find you, your customers won’t either.”

Google and OpenAI projects laying foundations for machine-to-machine commerce

The transition towards autonomous purchasing is increasing as technology companies develop systems capable of navigating websites, interpreting content and completing transactions without human intervention.

“But the real revolution begins when AI agents no longer need humans to guide them at all, and they start interacting directly with each other, exchanging data and negotiating behind the scenes.”

Evidence of this evolution is visible in recent product developments from major technology firms.

Google has integrated AI-generated summaries into search results, pushing traditional links further down the page.

Meanwhile, experimental initiatives such as OpenAI's Operator and Google's Project Mariner are testing agents capable of browsing and completing transactions independently.

These developments show the transition from static web interfaces to dynamic systems where machines communicate with other machines to fulfil consumer needs.

“AI-to-AI communication is at the very core of the agentic internet, not just providing customers with more personalised decisions, but enabling businesses to delegate discovery and fulfilment to agents,” Duncan notes.

The driver behind adoption of AI shopping assistants

This technological shift coincides with changing consumer expectations, with “75% of individuals frustrated with today’s clunky buying experience,” Duncan says.

“And within five years, their economic impact is set to surge by hundreds of billions.”

Despite this trend, Cognizant’s research suggests consumers remain cautious about delegating complete control of high-value purchases to autonomous systems.

Duncan emphasises that “AI agents must therefore build trust by working with consumers, not just for them.”

This balance between convenience and control is a challenge for businesses adopting AI purchasing technologies.

Transparency around algorithmic decision-making processes will be essential to establishing consumer confidence.

“Trust isn't built through automation alone but is shaped by how responsibly companies design and govern their AI systems,” Duncan says.

“When businesses prioritise reliability, fairness and accountability, AI can become a trusted partner in everyday decision-making, not just a silent operator.”

The wake up call businesses need

For companies accustomed to traditional digital marketing approaches, the emergence of AI purchasing agents necessitates a fundamental rethinking of online presence.

“As agents begin to manage more of the consumer journey, brands can no longer assume a consumer will visit their site, browse their product range and convert on command,” Duncan warns.

“Increasingly, the consumer's first interaction is not with a person, but with AI and that AI is making choices on their behalf.”

This change demands that businesses move beyond conventional search engine optimisation techniques to ensure their products and services are accessible to automated systems – and this requires structured data formats, consistent product information and interfaces that support machine-to-machine interactions.

Simultaneously, companies must adapt to evolving interaction patterns across multiple devices, from smartphones and computers to home assistants.

“Consumers are interacting with AI through a wide range of devices, and they expect those interactions to feel natural and fast,” Duncan explains.

“This requires AI capabilities to be embedded across channels, integrated to feel like a natural extension of the interfaces customers already use.”

What role will humans have in this AI evolution?

However, whilst automation promises efficiency gains, Duncan cautions against removing human elements entirely from the purchasing process.

“Businesses must pair automation with human resources, ensuring there is always a clear path to speak to a person when nuance and empathy are required,” he says.

“A hybrid model, where AI complements human expertise is the key to maintaining loyalty along the adoption curve.

Therefore, this new era of e-commerce won’t be defined by businesses disrupting markets, but by consumers accelerating change through their embrace of AI.

“Success won't hinge on who shouts the loudest, but on who is easiest to find and trust through AI,” Duncan concludes.

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