What triggered this research?

The research was initiated in response to significant shifts in consumer behaviour driven by the increasing adoption of AI technologies. Consumers are becoming more comfortable with AI, integrating it into their daily lives, and expecting businesses to provide AI-enhanced experiences. This shift is characterised by a growing demand for personalised, efficient, and seamless interactions. The report identifies that AI-powered consumers could drive up to 55% of spending by 2030, highlighting the urgency for businesses to understand and adapt to these evolving expectations.

What is the biggest driver for AI adoption by consumers, and how can businesses use that insight?

Convenience is the biggest driver for AI adoption by consumers. Still, convenience isn’t just a driver of AI adoption, it’s the currency of modern consumer loyalty. What’s changed isn’t that people suddenly care more about ease, but that AI has radically redefined what “convenient” looks like. Consumers now expect services that are anticipatory, hyper-personalised, and instantly available. AI delivers on this by reducing the gap between intent and action, whether it’s a voice agent reordering household items or a health assistant triaging symptoms before a human gets involved.

For businesses, this isn’t about surface-level tweaks like adding a chatbot. It’s about designing for agentic consumption, embedding AI at the core processes and workflows so that customer effort is minimised across the entire journey. This means reimagining product discovery, onboarding, service, and even exit strategies as low-friction, AI-mediated touchpoints. Companies that internalise this shift will stop thinking of AI as an enhancement and start using it as an architecture, building systems where the most convenient option is also the most intelligent.

How does the concept of the ‘Agentic Internet’ reshape the way people research, buy, and use products or services?

The Agentic Internet transforms consumer behaviour by replacing direct human interaction with delegated machine action. Instead of people browsing, comparing, and deciding, AI agents handle those tasks based on learned preferences, contextual awareness, and trusted rules. This means research becomes automated, purchase decisions shift from emotional to functional triggers, and usage evolves into an ongoing dialogue between user and agent.

For businesses, the challenge is no longer visibility to the consumer, but accessibility to the agent. Success depends on being machine-readable, API-accessible, and value-transparent. Marketing narratives give way to data structures. User interfaces matter less than integration points. To stay competitive, companies must treat AI agents not as a channel but as the new customer, one that is rational, selective, and always optimising on behalf of someone else.

The insights and developments discussed in the New Minds, New Markets report are focusing on the end consumer. Can these developments be applied to other sectors beyond the consumer goods markets?

Absolutely. While New Minds, New Markets explored shifts in consumer-facing industries, the underlying dynamics, AI as a decision-maker, automation of cognition, and the rise of machine-to-machine interaction apply across every sector. What’s changing isn’t just how consumers engage, but how markets themselves form, grow, and operate.

In healthcare, for instance, AI doesn’t just support clinicians; it redefines clinical pathways and patient triage. In enterprise tech, procurement becomes agent-led, with AI assessing vendors based on dynamic performance data. In energy and logistics, AI agents can optimise infrastructure decisions without waiting for human oversight.

The report’s core message is that AI is not just a tool within a sector; it is reshaping the structure of demand, trust, and competitive advantage. Any industry that relies on interaction, discovery, or decision-making is being rebuilt from the inside out.

To wrap up, what are the top takeaways from this report that leaders should remember and act on?

The top takeaways from the New Minds, New Markets report are:

1. AI-Powered Consumers: By 2030, AI enthusiasts are expected to drive significant consumer spending, making it crucial for businesses to understand and cater to this segment.
2. Convenience is Key: AI adoption is primarily driven by the desire for convenience. Businesses should focus on integrating AI to enhance customer experiences.
3. Agentic Internet: The rise of AI agents will transform how consumers interact with products and services. Companies must ensure their offerings are AI-compatible and easily discoverable.
4. Strategic Priorities: Businesses should prioritise understanding AI's impact on the customer journey and invest in AI-friendly technologies and platforms.

By embracing these insights, leaders can position their organisations to thrive in an AI-driven future.

Read the full New Minds, New Market report here:

https://www.cognizant.com/us/en/aem-i/new-minds-new-markets-ai-customer-experience

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