Agentic Commerce and the Future of Shopping

In this episode of Culture and Code, Rei and Tara explore the seismic shift happening in online commerce through OpenAI's latest announcements. They dissect how ChatGPT is evolving into an operating system that could fundamentally reshape how we discover and buy products online. The conversation weaves between optimism about removing friction from commerce and concerns about creating "the world's most persistent sales assistant," while examining which companies stand to win or lose in this new landscape.Key TakeawaysChatGPT as Commerce OSOpenAI announced Apps SDK allowing vendors to embed shopping directly into ChatGPTOver 1 million sellers from Shopify and Etsy already integratedStripe partnership enables direct checkout through the chat interfaceDiscovery funnel, not website replacement—at least for nowThe Agentic Commerce StackAgent Kit: drag-and-drop interface for building AI agentsApps SDK: building blocks for the GPT store relaunchSora API: video generation within workflows (featuring impressive Mattel Hot Wheels demo)Context-based search replacing traditional keyword searchWinners and LosersUnder pressure: Google Ads, traditional payment rails (Visa/MasterCard), growth advertising companiesNew opportunities: Brands that master AI-native discovery and metadata optimizationCritical question: Will recommendations be personalized or auction-based like Google Ads?The Brand ParadoxBrand mindshare becomes more important, not less, in an AI-mediated worldTraditional advertising making a comeback—even AI companies use TV spots to reach mass marketExamples of principled growth: Patagonia's anti-consumption campaigns, Uniqlo's durability-over-trends philosophyThe Junk Law ProblemRisk of exponential growth in unwanted recommendations and proactive selling"Moore's Law for junk"—AI could create unprecedented volumes of commercial noiseNeed for new filtering mechanisms (the "burner email" equivalent for AI commerce)Contrarian TakesRei's Principle: If you're a brand, focus on what's truly valuable to customers—even if it means selling less stuff. Long-term brand value comes from meaningful customer relationships, not maximizing transactions.Tara's Observation: Despite having 700-800 million users, ChatGPT still needs traditional media to reach mainstream audiences. The tech-savvy market is already saturated.-----About the HostsRei Inamoto: Creative entrepreneur and founding partner of I&CO, a global innovation firm with offices in New York, Tokyo, and Singapore. Follow Rei here: Rei's LinkedInNewsletter "The Intersection"Tara Tan: Managing partner of Strange Ventures, an early-stage firm investing in the future of computing. Follow Tara here:Tara's LinkedInNewsletter: The Strange ReviewConnect & SubscribeCulture and Code is a podcast about the biggest shifts in tech, business, and culture—before...

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