A Columbia business expert on AI that shops for you

Columbia Business School put a spotlight on Omar Besbes on Nov. 9, 2026, in a piece titled "The Rise of AI Shoppers." The idea is simple to say and big in effect: software that does your shopping for you, instead of you scrolling and clicking.

What an AI shopper is

An AI shopper is software that searches, compares and buys on a person's behalf. Think of it as a helper that reads the listings, weighs the prices and completes the purchase, so you do not have to browse at all.

Who it affects

Anyone who buys things online could feel this. So could anyone who sells things. If software, not a person, does the browsing, stores and brands may need to change how they try to win a sale. The way you find deals could change too.

• Shoppers: software may pick products for you.
• Stores and brands: they may need to appeal to software, not just people.
• Deal hunting: how you find a good price could look different.

What is not known yet

The material available does not include the full interview or article. It does not say which AI shopping tools Besbes discusses, how widely they are used, or what he predicts. No numbers, company names or timelines were given, so none are included here.

What happens next

The poster invites readers to watch how stores and brands adapt when software does the browsing. For now, the practical step is awareness: if a tool offers to buy for you, it is worth asking how it chooses what to show you.