AI is no longer just influencing how consumers discover products, it is beginning to mediate decisions and shape purchases before shoppers even reach a retailer. The trend is shaping commerce across markets globally.
In the US and Canada, AI-driven referrals to e-commerce sites increased by 294% from January to December 2025 versus 11% for other sources. By 2028, AI-powered search set to influence over USD595 billion in retail e-commerce.
From AI-assisted search and recommendation engines to emerging agent-led discovery and checkout journeys, a new commerce model is forming - one that compresses the funnel, redefines shopper trust and visibility for brands and retailers.
Join Euromonitor International and Semrush for an exclusive webinar exploring how consumer intent, AI interfaces and digital behaviour are converging to reshape e-commerce and where the earliest disruption signals are appearing.
The article is property of Euromonitor International, a data analytics company, and you can find it here.































