Business

Retailers accelerate shift towards full-scale deployment of agentic AI amidst challenges and opportunities

Thursday, 4 December 2025 5:37AM UTC

A new report reveals that while most retailers are piloting agentic AI to boost efficiency, few have fully integrated the technology, as they navigate ethical concerns, data issues, and skills shortages amid an expanding scope beyond customer-facing functions.

According to a new Fluent Commerce report cited by TechRadar Pro, agentic AI is already embedded in many retailers’ operations: 70% are piloting or have partially implemented AI agents, while 71% expect the technology to improve operational efficiency by 2026. Yet only 8% report full deployment and a mere 5% consider their systems mature and optimised. ^[1]^[2]

Retailers view agentic AI as a competitive necessity, with 88% acknowledging its role in keeping them abreast of rivals; nonetheless ethical and regulatory concerns (43%), customer trust and transparency (43%), data quality and integration issues (39%) and skills shortages (36%) are cited as material barriers to wider rollout. As Nicola Kinsella, Chief Strategy Officer at Fluent Commerce, noted: "Retailers are clearly investing in AI, but the journey from pilot to full-scale deployment is proving more complex than expected." ^[1]^[2]

To date, the dominant retail use cases have been customer service and chatbots (56%) and personalised marketing (46%), reflecting a focus on customer-facing automation. Industry studies from Salesforce and others also show customer service and marketing as the most active areas for AI investment, while merchandising, pricing and digital commerce are significant secondary adopters. ^[1]^[4]^[5]^[6]

However, the technology’s promise is expanding beyond front-of-house functions. Nearly one-third of retailers plan to deploy agentic AI in inventory management (30%) and supply chain optimisation (32%), driven by the potential to reconcile order exceptions, speed processing and improve fulfilment and delivery decisions. Fluent Commerce suggests that, "With the right data and a thoughtful rollout, retailers can capture real, measurable benefits from AI." ^[1]^[2]

External industry analysis points to both opportunity and caution among consumers. Bain & Company finds substantial use of generative AI for product research (30–45% of US consumers), but also that roughly half of shoppers remain wary of fully autonomous purchases, underscoring the need for transparency and human oversight as retailers scale agentic functions. ^[3]

Broad market research indicates AI adoption in retail is already widespread, yet converting investment into measurable business impact remains challenging. A Berkeley Research Group study found AI integrated across marketing, IT, digital commerce and merchandising, but stressed that tangible outcomes require better data integration, clear governance and skills development. ^[4]

To move from pilots to enterprise-grade deployments, retailers will need to prioritise data quality, interoperability and workforce training, while addressing ethical and regulatory concerns to preserve customer trust. Vendors and consultants urge a staged approach that keeps humans accountable for strategy while letting AI generate insights and actions from operational data. ^[1]^[2]^[4]^[5]

If handled carefully, agentic AI could shift retail from reactive workflows to more responsive, data-driven operations, yet current maturity levels indicate the sector is still at an early stage of that transition. ^[1]^[2]^[5]

##Reference Map:

^[1] (TechRadar Pro) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7, Paragraph 8
^[2] (Fluent Commerce) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7, Paragraph 8
^[3] (Bain & Company) - Paragraph 5
^[4] (Retail Dive / Berkeley Research Group) - Paragraph 3, Paragraph 6, Paragraph 7
^[5] (Salesforce) - Paragraph 3, Paragraph 6, Paragraph 7
^[6] (Salesforce news) - Paragraph 3
^[7] (WebProNews) - Paragraph 1

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.techradar.com/pro/over-two-thirds-of-retailers-have-already-partially-deployed-ai-agents-for-efficiency - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://fluentcommerce.com/resources/news/more-than-80-of-retailers-back-agentic-ai-to-improve-efficiency-new-fluent-commerce-survey-reveals/ - A Fluent Commerce survey reveals that 70% of retailers are piloting or have partially implemented agentic AI systems, with 71% expecting the technology to enhance operational efficiency by 2026. However, only 8% have fully deployed AI across their operations, and just 5% consider their AI systems mature and optimised. Challenges include ethical and regulatory concerns, data quality and integration issues, and skills shortages. Despite these hurdles, retailers remain optimistic about AI's potential to improve customer experience and service.
https://www.bain.com/about/media-center/press-releases/20252/agentic-ai-poised-to-disrupt-retail-even-with-50-of-consumers-cautious-of-fully-autonomous-purchasesbain--company/ - Bain & Company's report highlights that agentic AI is set to transform online shopping, with 30% to 45% of US consumers using Generative AI for product research. Despite this, around half of consumers remain cautious about allowing AI agents to handle purchases autonomously. The study underscores the need for retailers to balance technological advancements with consumer trust and transparency.
https://www.retaildive.com/news/retailers-artifcial-intelligence-marketing-merchandising/806680/ - A Berkeley Research Group report indicates that over 80% of retailers have integrated artificial intelligence into their operations, particularly in marketing (70%), IT and digital functions (62%), digital commerce (56%), and merchandising strategy and pricing (54%). The report also notes that while AI investments are widespread, translating these into business impacts remains a challenge.
https://www.salesforce.com/retail/artificial-intelligence/agentic-ai-in-retail-benefits-use-cases - Salesforce discusses how agentic AI is revolutionising retail by enhancing customer service, optimising pricing strategies, personalising marketing efforts, and improving inventory management. The article highlights the shift from reactive to responsive customer support, dynamic pricing adjustments, tailored marketing messages, and precise demand forecasting as key benefits of agentic AI in retail.
https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/ai-agent-retail-trends-2025/ - Salesforce's report reveals that 76% of retailers are increasing their investment in AI over the next year, with customer service emerging as the top use case. The study also highlights the importance of unified commerce in enhancing AI capabilities and notes that 39% of shoppers are using AI for product discovery, with younger generations showing a higher propensity for AI usage.
https://www.webpronews.com/ai-agents-transform-retail-over-66-adoption-full-integration-by-2025/ - WebProNews reports that over two-thirds of retailers have partially implemented AI agents to improve efficiency and cost savings. Despite challenges such as data privacy concerns and potential job displacement, projections suggest full integration of AI agents by 2025, indicating a significant transformation in customer experiences and retail operations.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is based on a press release from Fluent Commerce, dated December 3, 2025, which is the earliest known publication date. This typically warrants a high freshness score. The content has not appeared elsewhere, and there are no discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes. No recycled or republished content was found. The article includes updated data and original material, justifying a higher freshness score.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The direct quotes from Nicola Kinsella, Chief Strategy Officer at Fluent Commerce, and other sources are unique to this narrative. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from Fluent Commerce, a reputable organisation in the retail technology sector. The report is cited by TechRadar Pro, a reputable outlet, further validating the source's reliability.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims about AI adoption in retail are plausible and align with industry trends. The narrative is consistent with recent developments in AI integration within the retail sector. There are no inconsistencies or suspicious elements in language, tone, or structure.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from a reputable organisation. The claims are plausible and supported by current industry trends. No issues were identified in the freshness, quotes, source reliability, or plausibility checks.

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