Agentic AI is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about—and least understood—forces shaping the future of commerce. As AI assistants begin to influence how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products, CEOs face a critical question: what’s real, and what’s hype?

In this session, Eric Shea, PwC’s US Commerce Leader, cuts through the noise to explore the rise of agentic commerce and its real implications for business leaders. As consumers increasingly rely on AI to guide purchasing decisions, the traditional paths to influence—search, merchandising, and even brand engagement—are being redefined.

This session will highlight where agentic AI is already driving measurable impact, where it’s still emerging, and what it means for competitive advantage. He’ll also explore how discovery is evolving, why trust and brand matter more in an AI-mediated world, and how CEOs can position their organizations to lead as AI becomes the new storefront.

Despite aggressive investments in AI, many CEOs are discovering that the biggest obstacles aren’t technical – they’re organizational. As agentic technology approaches shape new efficiencies and growth opportunities, the traditional boundaries between organizational departments are rapidly dissolving. At the same time, the capabilities required across the enterprise are evolving, demanding greater AI fluency, data literacy, and new models of cross-functional leadership. Without clear ownership and an intentional redesign of teams and decision rights, AI initiatives risk slowing down, or worse, creating new organizational friction. In her presentation, Dr. Janet Sherlock, Founder & CEO of Org.Works, will share a framework for how CEOs can structure their organizations to unlock AI’s full potential, along with new research on how leadership teams and operating models must evolve in the era of Agentic Commerce. Dr. Sherlock brings a wealth of board and executive experience, supported by academic research in organizational design.

Consumer behavior is entering a new phase—shaped by evolving generational expectations and emerging forces that are redefining priorities across categories.

In this session, Ali Furman, PwC’s US Consumer Markets Industry Leader, breaks down key signals reshaping how consumers decide in 2026.

This session will examine how Gen Z and Gen Alpha are changing the rules of engagement—from discovery to loyalty—and why the rise of wellness, catalyzed by weight-loss drugs, is quietly rewiring consumer spending across categories.

CEOs will leave with a clearer understanding of the many signals shaping consumer decision-making and what they mean for growth, strategy, and competitive advantage in 2026.