AI-powered shopping agents are set to drive a major expansion in the U.S. e-commerce market, according to a new report from Morgan Stanley. The investment bank predicts that nearly half of all U.S. online shoppers will use AI agents by 2030, transforming how consumers discover, compare, and purchase products. In a recent research note, Morgan Stanley described agentic commerce—where AI acts as a personal digital shopper—as one of the most significant opportunities unlocked by generative AI. These agents can analyze preferences, conduct price comparisons, recommend products, and even place orders on behalf of users. The firm estimates that this shift could add up to $115 billion in additional online spending by 2030. “The ability to have a personal digital interactive shopper is set to be the best next substantial GenAI-enabled unlock,” the report stated. It added that as consumers increasingly digitize their wallets and shopping habits, agentic commerce could reshape the entire e-commerce funnel, affecting retailers, advertising platforms, and payment systems. The outlook has spurred rapid innovation across the retail sector. Amazon launched Rufus, its AI shopping assistant, which Business Insider previously reported could contribute over $700 million in operating profit this year. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in October that Rufus is on track to generate $10 billion in incremental annualized sales, though he acknowledged the user experience still has room to improve. Other major retailers are following suit. Walmart introduced Sparky, while Target rolled out a ChatGPT-powered shopping app. Meanwhile, OpenAI enhanced ChatGPT with a new “shopping research” feature designed to help users identify the best products based on their needs. Google also expanded its AI shopping tools ahead of the holiday season, introducing an assistant capable of calling local stores on a user’s behalf to check availability. Morgan Stanley highlighted personalized grocery shopping as a key growth driver for agentic commerce. After groceries, the firm expects household essentials, personal care items, and apparel to see significant adoption of AI shopping assistants. “The promise is that AI and agentic commerce solutions are going to expand the amount of shopping that happens online,” Jassy said during an October earnings call. “We’re very excited about the long-term prospect of agentic commerce.”