Agents Will Still Sell Dreams, Not Just Efficiency

As AI agents begin handling purchase decisions, treating them as pure optimization machines misses the point—they'll become conduits for deeply human, often irrational desires. Consumers will prompt their agents with aspirational identity markers, emotional anchors, and status signals just as readily as price points. Winning brands won't be those offering the lowest cost or fastest delivery, but those that understand how to make their agents dream on behalf of their owners. This inverts the lean efficiency narrative: the future of commerce isn't about removing human irrationality from buying, but automating it at scale.