Agentic AI – a form of artificial intelligence that can independently research, compare, and even act on behalf of consumers – is rapidly emerging as one of the most consequential technological developments for the food and retail sectors. As leading retailers experiment with AI-powered shopping assistants and automated checkout flows, industry experts say the shift is already beginning to influence how consumers discover and evaluate products.
In a new episode of Food for Thought Leadership, I spoke with Barry Thomas, Senior Thought Leader at Kantar, to break down how agentic AI is moving from theoretical concept to commercial reality. Thomas, whose career includes senior roles at Walmart, Pfizer, and The Coca-Cola Company, said agentic AI is not simply a new tool – but a structural change that will redefine the shopper journey.
“Generative AI gives you an answer,” Thomas said. “Agentic AI takes action.”
Moving Beyond Answers: What Makes Agentic AI Different
Thomas pointed to rising adoption among younger consumers, the acceleration of answer-engine search, and a new competitive landscape driven by data transparency. As retailers like Walmart and Amazon expand their AI capabilities, he believes the systems shaping product discovery today will play a determining role in brand visibility tomorrow.
We’ve spent the last two years acclimating to generative AI. But Thomas was quick to point out that generative tools are only scratching the surface of what’s coming. “If you enter a query into ChatGPT, generative AI produces what you request,” he said. “But agentic AI will act on your behalf.”
With nearly 40 years in global retail and CPG, Thomas brings a long-view perspective to the conversation. He argues that the food industry is entering a period where digital literacy, metadata accuracy, and AI readiness will matter as much as pricing, product quality, and shelf presence. “We’re watching a new shopping architecture being built in real time,” he said.
This action layer represents a profound evolution. Agentic systems don’t just retrieve information – they research, compare, curate, and even purchase products. They build dynamic product cards based on user preferences, rules, and real-time data. The result is a more personalized, more automated, and ultimately more efficient consumer journey.
Thomas believes this shift will only accelerate. “Discovery is already being reshaped,” he noted. “Consideration is next, and conversion won’t be far behind.”
The New Path to Purchase in an AI-Driven Marketplace
Thomas outlined how AI is reshaping the shopper journey across several touchpoints. Apps like Yuka are giving consumers unprecedented clarity about what’s in their food. Answer engines such as Google’s AI mode are simplifying product research for high-consideration categories. Agentic browsers like OpenAI’s Atlas are reintroducing memory and personalization into search, allowing platforms to learn alongside the shopper. Retailers are leaning into conversational assistants – Walmart with Spark and Amazon with Rufus – to make browsing more intuitive. And early agentic checkout models are beginning to surface as brands test automated purchase flows.
These aren’t theoretical advancements; they’re happening now. “We’re watching a new shopping architecture being built in real time,” Thomas said.
Metadata Marketing and the Battle for Visibility
One of the most compelling parts of our discussion centered on what Thomas calls metadata marketing. In an agentic ecosystem, product data becomes a brand’s most valuable asset.
“Your packaging is your data now,” Thomas said. “And that data determines whether your brand is visible to AI.”
This shift is leveling the competitive playing field. Challenger brands with clean, well-structured data are surfacing more frequently in AI-driven recommendations. Meanwhile, legacy brands that once dominated traditional SEO may find themselves buried if they don’t modernize how they present their product information.
Thomas emphasized that the rise of agentic AI rewards transparency. Ingredient lists, attributes, reviews, and authoritative content all feed into how models decide what to surface – and what to ignore.
A major question we explored was whether consumers would embrace these changes. Convenience is a powerful motivator, and Thomas sees younger consumers in particular adopting agentic AI quickly. Yet he also acknowledged that authenticity – real food, real experiences – still matters greatly.
“Consumers want realness, but they also want time back,” he explained. This tension will shape how brands communicate and how they balance personalization with transparency.
Interestingly, Thomas predicts a strong advantage for club stores. Their pricing consistency, supply chain reliability, and straightforward value propositions align well with the signals AI systems prioritize.
Preparing for the Road Ahead
As we looked toward 2026, Thomas emphasized one clear priority: upskilling. “In this new world, the fastest learners win,” he said. Credentialed AI and data skills are becoming essential across marketing, merchandising, supply chain, and leadership.
He also pointed to two emerging forces that could reshape the competitive landscape: Meta’s forthcoming personal AI agent, built on one of the deepest consumer data sets in the world, and the evolving ChatGPT App Store ecosystem, which is integrating commerce partners like Walmart, Spotify, Etsy, and Shopify.
The takeaway is clear: the organizations that invest in AI literacy today will be the ones shaping the future of food and retail tomorrow.
Food for Thought Leadership
In this episode of Food for Thought Leadership, Food Institute VP of content and client relationships Chris Campbell sits down with Barry Thomas, senior thought leader at Kantar, to unpack the rapid rise of agentic AI — a new class of AI systems that don’t just generate information but take action on behalf of the user.
