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The question of whether AI is “bad” comes up often, especially as the technology becomes more visible in everyday life. It is a simple question, but it oversimplifies something far more complex. AI is not a person, and it does not have intent or values of its own. So instead of asking whether it is good or bad, it is more useful to ask what it actually does, who shapes it, and where responsibility sits. AI reflects the systems we already have Artificial intelligence is built

A quiet gap that changes visibility A competitor in your category fixed their GS1 Digital Link records last quarter, while your setup has stayed the same. On the surface, this may not feel urgent, but in agent-led commerce it creates a growing difference in how products are discovered, ranked, and ultimately selected. Data quality now influences discovery GS1 Digital Link records are no longer just background technical details. They now influence how AI systems decide which p

Most mid-market brands understand the importance of having a UPC on their products. It is what allows them to sell through retailers, list on platforms like Amazon, and operate within standard commerce systems. On the surface, having a barcode feels like the job is done. However, a UPC does more than enable transactions. It anchors a product’s digital identity within the GS1 system. That identity is not just a technical detail. It is what machines, platforms, and increasingly

What is Agentic Commerce Agentic commerce refers to the use of AI agents that can search, evaluate, and complete purchases on behalf of consumers or businesses. These agents rely on structured product data, APIs, and payment integrations rather than visual interfaces. Instead of browsing websites, the agent queries systems directly and makes decisions based on predefined preferences, constraints, and real-time data. Current State of Readiness Many of the core building blocks

Most brands are still operating as if humans are the primary decision-makers in commerce. That assumption is starting to break. Agentic commerce, where software, AI systems, and GPT-driven environments evaluate and select products, is no longer theoretical. It is already influencing procurement, discovery, and purchasing decisions across supply chains and digital channels. At the same time, infrastructure such as GS1 Digital Link already exists to support this shift. The issu

AI agents are no longer a future proposition. They are actively reshaping how products are discovered, evaluated, and purchased, and brands that fail to adapt risk becoming invisible to the machines making buying decisions. Agentic commerce is an emerging form of e-commerce in which AI agents manage the complete buying cycle on behalf of users or organisations, from search and comparison through to transaction and payment, without real-time human involvement. These agents ope

Commerce is crossing a threshold, and most brands haven't noticed. Earlier this year at NRF Retail's Big Show , Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). The concept sounds simple. The consequences are anything but. AI systems will increasingly be able to discover, evaluate, and purchase products on behalf of consumers. This is the beginning of agentic commerce. And it changes everything about how products get found. Instead of a person scrolling, searching, an

Your Product Already Has a Digital Twin. Managing Its Reputation Is Now Your Job. If your product has a UPC code, it already has a digital identity. That identity exists whether you designed it or not. It exists whether you are paying attention to it or not. And in today’s environment, that identity behaves like a digital twin . It lives alongside the physical product and interacts with the digital world on its behalf. What has changed is not the existence of this digital tw

Traceability has outgrown the barcode it relies on For a long time, traceability meant being able to answer one basic question: Where did this product come from? Batch records, shipping documents, and internal logs were usually enough. That definition no longer holds. Today, regulators, retailers, and brand owners expect traceability to be faster, more precise, and actionable in real time. They want to isolate issues quickly, limit disruption, and prove exactly what happened,