Mark Zuckerberg Predicts AI Agents Domain in E-commerce by 2026

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled ambitious plans for the future of online shopping, predicting that artificial intelligence (AI) agents will dominate e-commerce by 2026.Meta is restructuring its AI foundations to launch autonomous models that will act on behalf of users, promising a revolution in the digital shopping experience.

The New Age of AI Agents in E-commerce

Zuckerberg announced that Meta has rebuilt its AI bases and is ready to launch models capable of acting autonomously on behalf of users. The vision is that instead of manually browsing catalogs, consumers will use“.These systems will leverage Meta's vast history of personal data to identify the exact needs of users, offering a highly personalized and efficient shopping experience.

Competitive Advantage and AI Scenario

Meta's strategy puts it in direct competition with giants like Google and OpenAI, which also develop similar platforms. However, Zuckerberg believes that Facebook and Instagram's unique “personal context” will give its AI assistants an unparalleled advantage.The recent acquisition of general-purpose agent developer Manus reinforces the seriousness of this move.

Massive Investment in Infrastructure and Hardware

To support this new phase, Meta plans a significant investment in AI infrastructure, with capital expenditures (Capex) forecast between US$ 115 billion and US$ 135 billion for 2026. This amount, which represents a considerable jump from previous years, is needed to train and operate increasingly complex AI models.In addition, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which have tripled their sales, are seen as a main interface for interacting with these AI agents in the future, potentially replacing the need to use smartphones for tasks and purchases.

The Future of Digital Assistance

The year 2026 promises to be decisive for the technology ecosystem, with NVIDIA providing the processing foundation and companies like Google accelerating their universal commerce protocols.Zuckerberg's promise is to deliver an AI that not only recommends content, but deeply understands the user and acts to their benefit, redefining digital personal assistance.

Global GWI Study, Jun 2024

• 2026 Will be the year of AI agents for e-commerce, says Mark Zuckerberg, Connected World.