In part two of my conversation with Scott Wingo, we dive deeper into how AI-powered agentic shopping could reshape - and potentially upend - the current retail media landscape. We explore what happens when AI becomes the primary interface for shopping leaving behind the traditional retailer website. Who stands to lose the most? Who has a shot at staying relevant?

We also question whether retail media's dominance is as secure as it seems, especially for players heavily invested in e-commerce and ad revenue. Scott and I touch on intriguing strategic differences between Amazon and Walmart’s AI integration philosophies, and how loyalty programs could become a retailer’s secret weapon in this evolving game. If you’ve been wondering where brands should place their bets in an AI-powered future, this is the episode for you.

This episode is sponsored by Connected Commerce at Acosta Group

Timeline

[00:01:15] - Why we’re skeptical about a future without ads in generative AI
[00:02:45] - Will in-store trade budgets become the safest media investment?
[00:03:29] - Agentic shopping's potential market share by 2030 and what that really means
[00:04:10] - Which retailers are most vulnerable to losing their retail media advantage
[00:05:48] - Is Instacart in trouble? The challenges agents pose to their ad business
[00:06:53] - The untapped potential of loyalty programs in an AI-driven world
[00:08:15] - How retailers can still win with differentiation—speed, returns, and selection
[00:08:45] - Walmart vs. Amazon: Two radically different approaches to AI agents

Links & Resources

• Watch full Retailgentic episode with Kiri Masters on YouTube
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