5 key things UK businesses think about agentic commerce

A new era of AI-driven shopping is underway

UK businesses now treat AI as more than a tool. Agentic commerce is reshaping how people shop. A consumer can ask an AI assistant where to buy running shoes, compare skincare brands, or find a laptop bag. The AI's answers depend on which sellers are ready and which are not.

To understand how businesses are responding, PayPal commissioned the Agentic Commerce Pulse Report. This surveyed decision-makers from small businesses, mid-market firms, and large businesses.

Here are five key findings from UK sellers.

1. Businesses see agentic commerce as a big change

Knowledge of agentic commerce is high across UK businesses. 78% of small businesses, 92% of mid-market firms, and 98% of large businesses say they know what it is.

Most surveyed believe agentic commerce will affect their business within 12 months. Many see early signs of this now. Confidence is high: 81% of small businesses, 90% of mid-market firms, and 97% of large businesses expect a positive impact.

The perceived benefits vary by size:

• Small businesses want to reach new customers

• Mid-market and large businesses focus on growing sales

But most sellers believe that not using agentic commerce is risky. 71% of small businesses, 67% of mid-market, and 81% of large businesses think they'll lose customers to rivals without AI.

2. AI visibility is becoming a key advantage

Sellers want AI to show their products when buyers are ready to buy.

Shoppers are moving away from old-style search. Sellers must now use AI-driven search tools to stay visible.

Businesses rate AI-driven traffic as very valuable:

• Customers who come via AI are ready to buy
• AI search is becoming more personal and focused

To stay ahead, businesses are taking action:

• Making websites easy for AI to read
• Adding data tags for machine-readable product data
• Preparing for AI-driven checkout journeys

Many are still at an early stage, above all when it comes to organising product data for AI. Most sellers have made a start: 76% of small businesses, 60% of mid-market businesses, and 75% of large firms say most of their product list is set up for AI. But fewer than one in five say their full list is ready.

3. Data security is the biggest barrier

As well as strong confidence, there is some caution. Data security is the top concern for all business sizes, covering both:

• Internal corporate data
• Customer data and personally identifiable information (PII)

For many sellers, this is the main barrier to doing more with agentic commerce.

Small businesses also struggle with the cost of set-up, limited resources, and the speed of AI change.

Smaller companies build trust in AI step by step. They start with strong data foundations, test and iterate, and keep humans at the centre of decisions.

Who is responsible is not yet clear. Sellers disagree on who is to blame when AI-driven transactions go wrong. Most want clearer rules.

4. Readiness varies by business size

Not all businesses are moving at the same speed.

Large businesses lead: 63% have brought AI into daily work. Among small businesses, 33% are using AI tools now, while 39% are still testing.

The challenges differ:

• Large businesses struggle with complex set-up and joining hurdles
• Small businesses are held back by time, budget, and expertise

Despite this, businesses of all sizes are taking action:

• Experimenting with AI tools
• Upskilling teams
• Running targeted pilot projects

Most plan to spend more on agentic commerce over the next 12 to 24 months.

5. Businesses expect payment providers to lead

UK businesses expect payment providers to do more than handle payments.

Sellers see them as key partners—above all for security and fraud protection. Sellers want payment systems they can trust that support AI-driven transactions.

Businesses want providers that offer clear guidance, simple tools, and help building trust in AI.

Expectations vary by size:

• Small businesses want simple, ready-to-use solutions
• Large businesses want flexibility and control

Payment providers are key to building seller confidence in agentic commerce.

How UK businesses are getting started

Leading businesses are moving step by step.

Key priorities include:

• Making product data machine-readable: Organise product lists using feeds, APIs, or data tags so AI can read and use them.

• Improving AI discoverability: Ensure products are visible across AI-powered search and recommendation platforms.

• Tracking AI-driven traffic: Start tracking visits and sales that come from AI. How to measure this is still evolving, but tracking it now gives you a useful starting point.

• Preparing checkout infrastructure: Many businesses report that their systems can support AI-driven transactions with minor changes.

• Choosing the right partners: Work with providers who offer not just technology, but guidance, security, and ongoing support.

• Keeping humans in the loop: Keep humans in control, above all for customer-facing or high-risk tasks.

Where UK businesses stand

Agentic commerce is still growing, but UK businesses are positive about the gains: more speed, better product matching, and access to buyers ready to buy. Data security and the cost of change are the main barriers—not doubt about the chance.

Most businesses know that agentic commerce matters. The work now is getting ready for what comes next.

*About the 2026 UK Agentic Commerce Pulse

PayPal worked with Stripe Partners to survey decision-makers at small, medium, and large businesses in the UK. Small businesses had revenue under £3M, medium had £3M–£20M, and large had over £20M. The survey covered 147 small, 159 medium, and 164 large businesses. PayPal also held in-depth interviews with 7 businesses of different sizes. Research took place between 24 February and 9 March 2026. Stripe Partners