Marcos Gouvea talks about the role of agentic AI in the reinvention of retail

Marcos Gouvea, founder and general director of Gouvea Ecosystem, believes that global retail is experiencing one of the most transformative moments in its history, driven by the consolidation of the so-called agentic era of Artificial Intelligence. According to him, AI is no longer just a support or automation technology and starts to act as an active agent in the operation and strategy of companies, with the ability to interpret scenarios, set priorities and execute actions autonomously.

He says this new phase marks the end of an experimental approach to artificial intelligence in retail, as the industry has spent years testing point applications such as chatbots, recommendation engines and isolated predictive analytics and now AI takes on a structural role, integrating end-to-end the value chain. This includes everything from assortment planning and inventory management to pricing, sourcing, logistics and consumer relationship decisions.

The executive explains that the main difference of agentic AI is its ability to act oriented to business objectives, and not just respond to human commands. These intelligent agents can coordinate multiple systems, analyze large volumes of data in real time and make continuous decisions, adjusting routes as changes in consumer behavior, market conditions or internal operation of companies.

Another point emphasized is the direct impact of this evolution on the customer experience. For him, AI now allows unprecedented levels of customization, with more contextual, relevant and consistent interactions across all channels. “The consumer is no longer impacted by generic offers and starts to live dynamically built, almost individualized journeys based on data, intention and MOMENT”, he highlights.

Gouvea also draws attention to the challenges that accompany this transformation. For him, the adoption of agentic AI requires a thorough review of technological architecture, governance models and organizational culture. “It is not enough to hire technology. It is necessary to prepare people, redefine processes and establish clear rules on data use, ethics, safety and responsibility in automated decisions”, he warns.

In his view, the advancement of artificial intelligence also redefines the role of leadership in retail. Executives will act less as isolated decision makers and more as orchestrators of intelligent systems, capable of directing technology to clear strategic objectives. “A competitive advantage will not be in those who have more data, but in those who know how to transform this data into better and faster decisions”, he adds.

When approaching the Brazilian scenario, the executive highlights that the country has a relevant opportunity to accelerate this transformation, provided that companies no longer see AI only as cost or experimental innovation.For him, organizations that can integrate artificial intelligence strategically will have significant gains in efficiency, productivity and adaptability, while those that slow this movement tend to lose relevance against more agile and data-driven competitors.

The entrepreneur also reinforces that artificial intelligence does not replace human strategy, but expands its capacity.“A Agentic AI starts to act as a true co-pilot of the business, supporting more accurate decisions, anticipating risks and opportunities and allowing companies to focus on what really generates value: innovation, relationship and sustainable growth”, he concludes.