The Role of Loyalty and Personalisation in an AI-Mediated Retail Journey

Agentic commerce has arrived faster than most retailers anticipated. AI agents like Gemini and ChatGPT are already helping consumers build shopping lists, visualise party themes, and populate baskets.

As of January 2026, 41% of consumers have used AI platforms for product discovery, and a third say they have fully replaced their previous search methods. Amazon reported that 300 million customers used its AI assistant, Rufus, in 2025 and that those shoppers were 60% more likely to complete a purchase.

Shoppers aren’t waiting for retailers to adopt AI. They are seeking out agentic assistance and expect retailers to keep pace. What does that mean for loyalty programmes?

Redefining Retail Loyalty in the Age of AI​, our new whitepaper, developed in collaboration with Deloitte Digital and Google Cloud, tackles that question and offers retailers guidance on how to respond.

Does Personalised Loyalty Apply to Agentic Interactions?

The short answer is yes. There is still strong demand for tailored experiences among consumers. Eagle Eye research found that 84% of surveyed consumers believe personalised recommendations would help them save money at the shelf, and 71% would consider buying if they received an in-store offer while shopping. AI platforms, with their ability to understand users, seem a natural channel for more relevant, personalised experiences. 

^{Only 9 of 56 major EMEA retailers provide highly personalized search results based on customer profiles.}

Yet many retailers struggle to deliver on this demand and expectation. A recent study by Google Cloud and RGA analysing 56 major EMEA retailers found that only 9 provide highly personalised search results based on customer profiles. The gap between expectation and execution leaves retailers exposed, especially as agentic commerce shifts control of the customer relationship away from the brand.

Loyalty as Strategic Infrastructure

Retailers using data-driven approaches to personalise loyalty campaigns have realised an average 3.8% like-for-like sales uplift, even in price-sensitive markets. Well-designed programmes deliver 16% larger basket sizes, reduced churn, and lower promotional costs.

But loyalty programmes are more than marketing levers. As privacy regulations tighten and third-party data becomes scarce, they represent one of the most valuable sources of first-party customer insight. Programmes that capture rich, consented data become strategic assets extending well beyond their traditional role.

Where Engagement Becomes the Advantage

Failing to engage loyalty members carries consequences. Eagle Eye research shows that 36% of customers fail to renew memberships due to a lack of engagement, and 31% cite too little perceived value. In an AI-intermediated world, these disengaged customers will drift toward agent-recommended alternatives first.

The prospect of commoditisation looms large. Without strong loyalty, retailers risk becoming catalogues or delivery slots on AI platforms, fulfilling orders generated elsewhere rather than owning customer relationships.

Speed Is Existential…and Determines Visibility

In agentic commerce, real-time response capability determines whether loyalty shows up in AI-driven decisions at all. Retailers must expose the right data to AI agents to make loyalty relevant, while protecting their competitive advantage. This requires both technological quality in platform connections and the ability to make decisions in milliseconds.

The relationship between AI and loyalty may be complex, but not conflicting. AI feeds on the rich customer data generated by loyalty programmes, and loyalty programmes need AI to deliver the personalisation consumers have come to expect. Retailers that recognise this symbiotic relationship and act on this interdependence will be best positioned to compete and thrive in the agentic age.

Ensure your loyalty programme stays part of the decision as AI reshapes how customers discover and shop.