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The
taste economy
How agentic AI Is redefining self-expression through commerce.
By Cathal McCarthy
This holiday season marked a turning point in retail. With AI increasingly embedded in shopping journeys, the question is no longer if AI will affect retail- but how deeply. Consumers are turning to AI not just for inspiration, but for actual decision-making and it is quickly reshaping the way consumers express identity through what they buy.
At the same time, a new foundation is taking shape: emerging AI agent protocols such as the Model Context Protocol( MCP) for tool access, and the Agent-to-Agent Protocol( A2A) for agent collaboration. These protocols are becoming drivers of change. They point toward a picture where seamless coordination between AI agents could redefine everything from product discovery to personalized service.
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