How AI shopping agents will reshape real estate

Having navigated extraordinary turbulence over the past six years - from pandemic lockdowns that accelerated e-commerce, to supply chain disruptions that tested logistics networks, to inflation pressures that reshaped consumer spending patterns - a new challenge looms for retail: agentic commerce (A-commerce).

A-commerce, where AI assistants autonomously research, compare and purchase products on behalf of consumers, is expected to reshape demand across real estate sectors, differentiating properties that can thrive in an AI-mediated economy and those that cannot.

The emphasis on experiential retail will accelerate, while advanced logistics real estate will experience the effect of unprecedented demand on supply chain performance.

“For time poor consumers and those seeking the best value across comparable products, AI assistants represent a significant simplification of the online shopping journey,” says Holly Irvine JLL research analyst and author of the blog AI shopping agents are coming to Australian retail. 

Given that A-commerce can optimise for price, availability, speed and convenience, retailers that are convenience-led are likely to face headwinds as dependence on physical storefronts will change. On the other hand, highly experiential formats will come into further focus.

"Shopping centres have repeatedly demonstrated adaptability. The question isn't whether A-commerce will change retail – it will – but whether our assets can evolve to capture the experiential spending that algorithms cannot replace," says Richard Fennell, head of Property Management Australia, JLL, which manages 360 shopping centres nationwide.

"Retail centres which survived the GFC and eCommerce will also survive A-Commerce. The local shopping centre has evolved from just a place to buy things you need in one convenient spot – the good ones are now community engagement and entertainment centres, places to go to have a good time – as well as shop." 

Record transactions totalling AU$14 billion in retail property in Australia in 2025 reflect that A-commerce makes experiential assets more valuable, not less. 

JLL’s Global Real Estate Perspective, published in February 2026, notes long-term demand for flexible experiential retail formats, with stores acting as engagement hubs for brand connection, events and services that cannot be replicated online.

Kate Low, head of International Capital – ANZ, JLL, explains that limited retail opportunities across Asia-Pacific are prompting investors to purchase offshore, specifically Australia. 

"Investors are looking for defensive yields in an environment where traditional office assets face structural challenges and residential development remains constrained by planning regulations," she says.

Industrial real estate is expected to be the core enabler of A-commerce.

As this type of shopping reflects a move away from browsing websites or visiting stores to buy goods, it will require retailers to rebuild their supply chains to fulfil the promise of instant access to optimal product availability, pricing and delivery.

"The customer experience will need to be at the forefront of the minds of retailers looking to lean into this sphere," says Nathan Bingham, head of Occupier Services Australia, JLL. "That requires a very strong understanding of inventory holdings and location, ensuring that the customer receives what they want when they want it.”

As A-commerce adoption accelerates, demand will intensify for warehouse facilities offering:

• Proximity to urban population centres for rapid delivery
• Advanced warehouse management systems providing real-time inventory visibility
• Infrastructure supporting automated picking and packing technologies
• Flexible configurations accommodating evolving fulfilment strategies

“It all comes back to having the right systems to provide clear visibility of merchants’ stock holdings across their entire supply chain – an area that is already being optimised with AI," Bingham says.

"Most retailers are building out the tech stack to make the AI experience frictionless and efficient, but if the physical fulfilment process is flawed with delays or stock outs, that can damage the client/customer relationship before AI gains traction.”

Bingham adds that it is this vulnerability that will place premium value on industrial assets that can deliver consistent, reliable performance.

To what extent A-commerce will be adopted is unknown, but it will ultimately depend on trust, says Irvine. 

“Some consumers remain cautious about data security, privacy and delegating spending decisions to AI systems, but convenience has historically proven a powerful driver of adoption. Millennials, who are already the most active e-commerce participants, appear particularly open to it,” she says.