At NextGen 2025, urgency was sparked by conversations about the future of AI in commerce. In a session titled “Context Is the New Conversion: AI’s Role in Next-Gen Digital Commerce,” the panel brought together a standout lineup of digital leaders reimagining how brands connect with customers in real time.
Moderated by Bahram “Baz” Saidieh of Antler, the session featured:
- Vivek Farias, CTO and Co-founder of Cimulate AI and Professor at MIT Sloan
- Jillian Gorman Villalobos, Head of Consumer Experience at Samsung
- David Torrecilla, Head of Innovation at Guess
- Ryan Kim, Founder and CEO of Kim’C Market
Together, they explored how contextual AI, dynamic metadata, and real-time intent mapping are no longer emerging ideas, but essential strategies for brands that want to compete in an AI-native retail environment.
- From Personalization to Contextualization
Vivek Farias, CTO and Co-founder of Cimulate and Professor at MIT Sloan, highlighted the transition from implicit personalization to explicit contextualization. He introduced “Customer GPT,” a generative AI engine enabling retailers to anticipate customer intent and facilitate real-time discovery. Farias emphasized that contextualization, understanding the ‘why’ behind customer actions, offers deeper insights than traditional behavioral tracking. - Conversational Commerce in High-Stakes Retail
Gillian Gorman Villalobos, Head of Consumer Experience at Samsung, discussed the complexities of applying AI in electronics retail. She noted that purchasing decisions, such as selecting a refrigerator, involve high stakes and require AI systems to interpret nuanced customer contexts, including spatial constraints and urgency due to appliance failure. - Cultural Storytelling as a Growth Strategy
Ryan Kim, Founder and CEO of Kim’C Market, shared how his digital-first Korean grocery leverages SEO-driven content to engage customers. By integrating cultural narratives and detailed product stories, Kim’C Market has attracted a diverse customer base, including Michelin-starred restaurants, without traditional advertising. - Democratizing Data with AI
Farias explained that large language models trained on extensive datasets democratize access to data analytics. This advancement allows smaller companies to generate counterfactual behaviors and insights previously accessible only to data-rich corporations. - Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): The Next Frontier
Kim highlighted the emergence of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) as a critical complement to SEO. As AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT become primary information sources, optimizing content for these engines ensures visibility and relevance in customer queries. - Strategic Implementation and Measurement
Gorman Villalobos stressed the importance of a clear business strategy and unified data sources for effective AI implementation. She advocated for a measured approach, balancing innovation with brand integrity, especially in high-investment product categories. - Designing for Human and Machine Interfaces
The panel discussed the necessity of dual design processes catering to both human users and AI agents. As agent-mediated commerce grows, retailers must develop interfaces that facilitate seamless interactions between customers and AI systems. - Navigating Disintermediation Risks
Farias warned of the strategic risks associated with disintermediation in agent-mediated commerce. Retailers must maintain influence over shopping behaviors by training AI agents aligned with their brand values and customer engagement strategies. - Embracing Predictive Capabilities
The panel identified predictive analytics as the next frontier in digital commerce. By leveraging AI to anticipate evolving customer needs, retailers can proactively tailor experiences and offerings, staying ahead in a competitive market.
This session made one thing crystal clear. The next generation of digital commerce won’t be won by those with the most features or the flashiest front ends. It will be won by brands that embed intelligence across every touchpoint by turning context into a strategy, not a buzzword.
The retailers who lead will anticipate customer needs, act at the moment of intent, and scale AI not just efficiently, but meaningfully. Context is no longer part of the conversion funnel. It is the funnel.
