While Circana found consumers use agentic AI to search for electronics and technology products (37%), beauty and personal care items (28%), and apparel and accessories (26%), food products can’t be far behind. Especially with the interest around protein, fiber and energy-boosting ingredients, I imagine many of the consumers who seek those qualities will turn to AI before browsing store shelves.

However, gathering information is only one part of the process. Circana estimates that eventually three-quarters of purchases will “involve an agent from the point of inspiration to checkout.” The firm emphasizes that consumers have the buying power, but AI agents “increasingly own discovery, consideration and post-purchase support.”

What does this mean for manufacturers and brand owners? Not only do they have to juggle consumer interests and desires, but product information must be presented so that it’s fine-tuned for AI search. Specifically, that means, as Circana notes, “controlling how products are shown, compared and chosen across retailers and data ecosystems.”

The research firm outlined six questions brand owners and manufacturers should ask when developing AI-optimized product information:

1. Visibility and inclusion: Are we listed properly and tagged everywhere we sell?
2. Sentiment and framing: Do reviews and content reinforce the positioning we intend?
3. Recommendation power: Do we win on price, ratings and the attributes an agent actually weighs?
4. Conversion influence: Are we easy for retailers and agents to sell? Are we in stock, with a simple lineup and no friction?
5. Accuracy and trust: Is our data consistent everywhere it appears?
6. Data and integration: Are we measuring and optimizing across retailers, not just within one?

The food category has always been competitive, but with the added challenge of AI search, manufacturers and brand owners must be even more meticulous about their online product descriptions. Future purchases may depend on it.