Everyone is fighting over the wrong part of agentic commerce (www.techradar.com)

The ongoing competition among tech giants for dominance in agentic commerce has largely been misdirected, focusing on consumer discovery and checkout processes. Despite advancements by companies like OpenAI, Google, and Amazon, a clear winner has not emerged because they are tackling the most challenging aspects of the consumer shopping experience, which already relies on years of optimization. In contrast, B2B procurement—characterized by its complexity, specific product requirements, and structured data—has been overlooked but presents a significant opportunity for AI to streamline processes and enhance efficiency. B2B commerce offers a more straightforward path for AI integration due to its structured nature, despite the data often being chaotic. Companies with the ability to encode and structure product data can leverage AI agents to simplify procurement processes, potentially reshaping the entire B2B landscape. With B2B e-commerce transaction volumes outpacing B2C by five to six times, the implications for improved efficiency and reduced friction in purchasing are substantial. As the B2B sector embraces AI first, it may lead the way for consumer commerce to follow, ultimately revolutionizing both spaces, though the consumer side will face greater challenges in its evolution.