In today's global e-commerce market, the ever-advancing field of AI, automation, and consumer demands have led to dynamic changes in how businesses reach their customers. Previous online shopping methods, which depended on consumers' ability to sift through vast product choices, has given way to AI-based systems that offer personalized and dynamic recommendations, taking into account user behavior in real time. Machine learning in particular allows these systems to become more efficient with every transaction through continuously learning user interactions. The core aspect of the digital economy is the role of AI. The increased use of chatbots, recommendation engines, and predictive analysis in modern business aims to provide a personalized experience for consumers while assisting in better business decisions. Alongside this, automation within warehouse, logistics, and customer service has made businesses more scalable and efficient. This growing trend within business is that businesses who are not utilizing AI to some capacity will be left behind. The rise of AI shopping agents is a recent innovation in this market. Instead of a system where users have to compare deals and make purchases on their own, AI shopping agents are semi-autonomous entities that compare pricing and complete the necessary steps for their users, including making the purchases themselves. Acting as virtual consumers, AI shopping agents mediate between consumer and vendor and raise significant issues related to transparency, trust, and responsibility. This chapter will explore how AI shopping agents are changing e-commerce, and discuss the legal, ethical, and governmental issues they bring about. Specifically, this chapter will cover three main aspects: • How AI autonomy affects the role of the consumer, including data use, the ability of the consumer to receive fair deals, and liability • How AI systems will affect policymakers and business owners, particularly regarding bias, privacy, and manipulation • The role that the government should play in supporting innovation while protecting the consumer through carefully balanced policies. Based on research and case studies of existing regulatory actions under the Digital Services Act, the chapter argues that current regulations, which were designed to govern human-to-human commerce, are insufficient for today's environment. The chapter concludes by outlining that the increasing rate of machine-to-machine transactions necessitates new approaches toward governance to maintain trust, fairness, and transparency
Seth, V., & Kujur, L. (2026). Autonomous Commerce: The Rise of AI Shopping Agents and the Ethics of Algorithmic Governance in Digital Marketplaces. International Journal of Academic Excellence and Research, 02(02), 88–99. https://doi.org/10.62823/IJAER/02.02.208
https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2019/06/unpacking-e-commerce_35b43e2b/23561431-en.pdf
https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095531
https://ijrpr.com/uploads/V6ISSUE11/IJRPR55471.pdf