The Death of Search: How Shopping Will Work In The Age of AI

Podcast : The a16z Show (LS 63 · TOP 0.1% what is this? ) Episode : The Death of Search: How Shopping Will Work In The Age of AI Pub date : 2025-09-17 Get Podcast Transcript → powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarization The web is unhealthy, and AI agents are about to rewrite how we shop. In this episode, a16z General Partner Alex Rampell and Partner Justine Moore explore how AI agents will change commerce and the implications for Google’s business model, affiliate marketing, online shopping, and more. Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction 0:12 The Role of AI Agents in Commerce 1:28 Affiliate Marketing & Impulse Buys 4:02 Observing Consumer Behavior & AI 6:08 Dynamic Pricing & E-commerce Trends 7:20 Online vs. Offline Shopping Behaviors 10:09 The Challenge of Attribution in Commerce 12:19 Aggregators, Brands, and Business Models 15:24 Trend Cycles & Single SKU Retailers 17:49 Google, Search, and the Freemium Model 22:41 The Unhealthy Web & Commercialization 26:04 Video Reviews & Trust in Commerce 29:10 The Costco Model & Consumer Trust 33:15 AI’s Impact on Different Types of Purchases 39:56 The Future: Specialized Shopping Agents 40:16 Opportunities for New Durable Companies 44:18 The Merchant Side: Infrastructure for AI Agents Resources: Read the article: http://a16z.com/ai-x-commerce/ Find Alex on X: https://x.com/arampell Find Justine on X: https://x.com/venturetwins Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated: Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify Listen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Andreessen Horowitz, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.