The New Frontier: The Agentic Commerce & Answer Engine Optimization podcast 2026 AI & Ecommerce Predictions with Jo & Max (Agentic Commerce, AI Wearables, The Death of Prompting and more)
In the first 2026 episode of The New Frontier, as is tradition, Max and Jo dive into their annual predictions. They start with a quick look back at their 2025 predictions, many of which, from the AI infrastructure boom to Google’s dip in dominance, proved accurate.
Looking ahead, they forecast a sharp rise in synthetic content, predicting that 30–40% of social media posts will be AI-generated or enhanced by year’s end. This tidal wave of “AI slop” will trigger a backlash, sparking renewed interest in human-made content, premium communities, and slower, more intentional creation. Hyper-personalization will define digital experiences across health, education, and commerce—driven by memory-enabled AI agents that tailor everything to the individual. At the same time, they predict a resurgence in digital PR as brands chase visibility in AI-powered search engines, which increasingly prioritize reputable media over slop-saturated platforms like Reddit and Wikipedia.
The episode also explores the future of agentic commerce, where shopping journeys will shift from passive browsing to active AI assistance. Max predicts Amazon’s Rufus will evolve from a sidebar tool to the primary interface—replacing search entirely for many users. This, paired with the rise of AI wearables, proactive voice interfaces, and ambient agents, will blur the lines between consumer intent and algorithmic anticipation. They round out the conversation with bold takes on world models, long-form AI video, and fully autonomous scientific discovery—framing 2026 as the year AI stops assisting and starts acting.
This podcast is brought to you by Azoma and Amazing Wave.
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