10-06-2026NEXT BIG THINGS IN TECH

The 3 next big things in commerce tech for 2026

Shopping for agents, critical deliveries by drones, and an intelligence layer for brick-and-mortar stores.

[Source photo: Adobe Stock]

AI is poised to transform virtually everything about online and physical retail, from product exposure and recommendations to consumers even having to complete the transactions for themselves. These honorees are setting the stage for agentic commerce, allowing critical medical supplies to take flight and providing physical retailers with comprehensive intelligence about shopping variables within and beyond the store.

American ExpressFor putting agents on the checkout lineDuring the early days of e-commerce, retailers strived to simplify online purchasing for consumers. In the AI era, a new wave of accommodations must be forged to allow frictionless........

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