Azoma Founder Max Sinclair talks AI Search on stage at Alibaba's CoCreate '25

The New Shopping Interface: Voice, Vision, and Deep Intelligence

On Friday, 14th, at the O2 Arena in London, Alibaba announced they aren't just tweaking search algorithms – they're fundamentally reimagining how shopping. Their three-pronged AI approach includes:

• Voice shopping

• Image-based discovery powered by their Qwen AI models

• Deep Search functionality that runs hundreds of parallel queries simultaneously

The Deep Search feature particularly caught my attention. Unlike conventional search engines that rely on keywords, it leverages Alibaba's Qwen AI models by combining reasoning capabilities with online search to deliver accurate responses to complex queries South China Morning Post. Their Accio AI search engine has already reached 1 million users within five months of its launch Digital Commerce 360.

The Western Giants Aren't Sleeping

Google dropped its own bombshell last week with AI Shopping mode – a complete overhaul that includes:

• Conversational search that understands natural language queries

• Agentic checkout that can automatically purchase items when prices drop

• AI phone calls to local stores to check inventory (yes, really!)

The feature is currently compatible with merchants like Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and select Shopify stores TechCrunch, with Google's Shopping Graph now containing more than 50 billion product listings, 2 billion of which are updated every hour Google.

Target Joins the Race

Target's new AI arsenal, launched November 12th, shows even traditional retailers are going all-in:

• AI Gift Finder using conversational prompts

• Store Mode that auto-activates when you enter a store

• List Scanner that converts handwritten lists to digital carts

The results? When customers use the Target app in-store, their basket sizes are nearly 50% higher Target Corporation.

The ChatGPT-Shopify Alliance

Perhaps the most disruptive development: U.S. ChatGPT users can now buy directly from Etsy sellers right in chat, with over a million Shopify merchants, like Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx and Vuori, coming soon OpenAI. OpenAI's Instant Checkout, powered by their Agentic Commerce Protocol developed with Stripe, could fundamentally change how we think about e-commerce platforms.

Amazon Rufus: The $10 Billion Proof Point

Amazon's Rufus AI assistant provides the clearest evidence that this shift is real and happening now. The numbers are staggering:

• 250 million shoppers have used Rufus this year, with monthly active users growing 140% year over year and interactions increasing 210% Fortune

• Customers who engage with Rufus during their shopping journey are 60% more likely to complete a purchase Fortune

• Rufus is expected to generate over $10 billion in annual incremental sales Fortune

Walmart's Sparky: Built for the Future

Walmart's Sparky represents their vision where the AI assistant becomes "the primary vehicle for discovery, shopping and for managing everything from reorders to returns" CX Dive according to CEO Doug McMillon. The retailer is betting that the search bar and the conventional way of searching for items will be replaced by this multimodal interface Retailmediabreakfastclub.

The Trillion-Dollar Opportunity

The market opportunity is massive. The agentic AI in retail and eCommerce market size reached USD 46.74 billion in 2025 and is forecast to climb to USD 175.11 billion by 2030, translating into a robust 30.2% CAGR Mordor Intelligence. McKinsey projects even more aggressive growth, with agentic commerce potentially generating as much as $1 trillion in orchestrated U.S. retail revenue by 2030 Digital Commerce 360.

What This Means for Brands

The implications are profound. Traffic from AI platforms to US e-commerce sites surged 4,700% year-over-year in July 2025, according to Adobe, and is expected to climb another 500% during the holiday season CB Insights. This isn't just about having a website anymore – it's about ensuring your products are optimized for AI discovery across multiple platforms.

We're witnessing the birth of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – the next evolution beyond SEO. Brands that don't adapt risk becoming invisible in this new AI-mediated shopping landscape.

The Bottom Line

The transformation to AI-driven discovery is here. To navigate this evolution effectively and ensure your products thrive across Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Amazon, Walmart, and more partner with Azoma.ai for comprehensive AI visibility tracking and optimization.