75% of Retailers Believe AI Agents Are Crucial for Future Competitiveness, Says Salesforce Report

Technology

75% of Retailers Believe AI Agents Are Crucial for Future Competitiveness, Says Salesforce Report

A new global study from Salesforce, unveiled in its sixth edition of the Connected Shoppers Report, reveals that 75% of retailers believe AI agents will be essential to remain competitive within the next year. The report highlights the mounting pressures facing the retail sector, including increasing customer expectations, inflation, operational costs, and shifting consumer behaviors.

Retailers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and unified commerce to tackle these challenges. AI agents — autonomous systems that can act across various business operations — are emerging as a critical solution. According to the report, 76% of retailers plan to increase their AI investments in the coming year.

“AI agents represent the next wave of retail AI innovation — digital labor that promises to reshape how retailers scale their workforces, serve and market to customers, and streamline operations,” said Michelle Grant, Director of Retail Strategy and Insights at Salesforce.

Unified commerce, which integrates sales channels, customer data, and operations on a single platform, is seen as the second-most important strategy after AI. This integration enables seamless customer experiences both online and offline, driving revenue while reducing operational costs.

The consumer journey is also evolving. While physical stores remain relevant, their share of purchases is expected to drop from 45% in 2024 to 41% by 2026. Digital spending is becoming more fragmented, spreading across various platforms such as marketplaces, brand websites, and delivery apps.

In this changing landscape, AI agents are increasingly used in customer service — handling queries, tracking orders, and processing returns 24/7 — freeing human representatives to focus on complex issues. Retailers also foresee agents playing roles in marketing, website optimization, inventory management, and even staff training.

Velia Carboni, CIO at SharkNinja, a Salesforce customer, praised Salesforce’s Agentforce as vital for cultivating lasting consumer relationships.

The Middle East’s rapidly growing retail sector stands to benefit significantly from AI innovation. “AI, and particularly agentic AI, is set to play an increasingly important role in the region’s dynamic and fast-growing retail sector,” stated Mohammed Alkhotani, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Salesforce Middle East.

The UAE retail market is forecast to grow from $44.38 billion in 2024 to $61.89 billion by 2030. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s retail sales are projected to hit $161.4 billion by 2028. According to Alkhotani, agentic AI will be instrumental in empowering retailers to meet customer expectations, refine data usage, and align with national growth strategies.

However, efficient AI deployment hinges on data access. Currently, many retailers struggle with disconnected systems, which reduce productivity and frustrate customers. The report notes that 81% of retailers find inefficient tech affects store associate performance, while nearly half of shoppers abandon purchases due to order friction.

Encouragingly, 86% of retailers have unified commerce initiatives underway. These efforts enhance operational efficiency and customer experience while also supporting AI-powered processes.

On the consumer side, interest in AI is rising. Around 39% of all shoppers — and 54% of Gen Z — already use AI for product discovery. Gen Z is also ten times more likely than baby boomers to use AI frequently in their shopping routines. Many are open to AI agents managing returns, optimizing loyalty points, and even making purchases on their behalf.

Trust remains a key factor in broader adoption. Consumers cite privacy protections, transparency, manual override options, and human support as essential to trusting AI-driven decisions.

“The data is clear: retailers and shoppers are both moving toward an AI agent future,” said Grant. “But success depends on addressing both sides of the equation — building the connected technology foundation retailers need while delivering the trust and transparency shoppers demand.”