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Fierce AI rivalry to become everyone’s agent-in-chief could reshape e-commerce beyond recognition

The rise of AI agents, such as Meta’s Muse, shopping for humans is sparking a major online battle, highlighted by Amazon’s blocking of Muse. This shift threatens traditional business models as agents replace human customers, redefining e-commerce. A fierce contest is emerging among tech giants to control the internet’s 'agentic layer.' While offering efficiency, this also raises critical antitrust and security concerns. Regulators must guard against market dominance by a few bots. Businesses must adapt, potentially with their own agents, to navigate this evolving digital landscape and own customer intent.

LiveMint · Mint Editorial Board · Sep 29, 2026 at 2:00 AM

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