Get ready for the next major upheaval in the retail sector, because soon your customer will no longer be the consumer, but their AI agent. According to Eric Spapens, Head of Business Development at Visa Belgium and Luxembourg, the industry is facing its fourth revolution.
From B2C to B2AI
At the RetailDetail Night, taking place on Thursday 20 November 2025 at the Handelsbeurs in Antwerp, Spapens will introduce you to the era of ‘B2AI’. In this new reality, digital intermediaries, or AI agents, will increasingly make purchasing decisions on behalf of the consumer. Your customers will no longer be the only ones deciding what ends up in their shopping baskets.
AI agents know customers’ preferences, compare prices and complete purchases independently. For retailers, this means a radical change: they must learn to sell to algorithms or software. The challenge lies in redesigning marketing and brand experience to appeal to both humans and machines.
Yet, Spapens emphasizes that trust remains the absolute foundation in this new relationship between man, machine, and brand. Finding a balance between technological efficiency and a human connection will be crucial. Those who embrace the innovation to enhance convenience and trust will emerge as the winners of this transformation.
Eric Spapens immerses you in the new world of AI retail during the afternoon programme Gamechangers at the RetailDetail Night, with Q8, Xandres and more also on stage.
