Your Newest Customer is an AI Agent — Are You Ready?

by: @dminMM

By The Malketeer

It’s official, shopping is no longer just a human habit.

Your next customer might not have a heartbeat, just bandwidth.

Across the world, brands are beginning to see something remarkable.

Website visits and sales are coming not just from people browsing on phones or desktops, but from AI agents.

Intelligent digital assistants that can search, compare, and even buy products on our behalf.

And now, a new startup called New Gen is helping brands prepare for this shift in a very clever way.

Backed by US$4.5 million in seed funding, New Gen believes the future of e-commerce lies in building digital storefronts not for people, but for machines.

Think of it as a new version of your website — one that speaks the language of AI.

If that sounds like science fiction, think again.

AI Agents Are Already Changing How People Shop

Imagine this: instead of you spending hours comparing prices and reviews, you simply tell your AI assistant: “Get me a pair of running shoes, under RM300, suitable for flat feet, from a local brand if possible.”

Your AI then scours the web, compares specs, checks stock levels, calculates delivery time, and places the order.

All without you lifting a finger.

This kind of intelligent shopping is already happening in the US and parts of Europe.

In fact, AI-driven traffic to retail sites grew by more than 1,000% in just a few months.

It’s only a matter of time before Malaysian consumers — and their digital sidekicks — join the party.

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What Is New Gen Actually Doing?

New Gen’s idea is smart and simple.

They help brands create AI-friendly sub-sites — separate web pages that are specially designed to talk to bots.

For example, if your company is selling cosmetics, your normal website remains the same for human shoppers.

But a new subdomain like ai.brandname.com is built just for AI agents — feeding them clean data, detailed product info, updated pricing, and real-time stock levels.

Why does this matter?

Because today’s AI agents don’t “browse” websites like humans do.

They need structured information to make smart decisions.

If your brand doesn’t serve up that data properly, the bot skips you — and recommends your competitor instead.

Why Malaysian Brands Should Pay Attention

Let’s be honest — we Malaysians are tech-savvy and fast to adopt trends.

From QR pay to TikTok shops, we’ve jumped into digital with full force.

But when it comes to AI commerce, many of our brands are still catching up. Here’s why that’s risky:

  • Search is changing. AI tools like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Apple Intelligence are replacing traditional search engines. If your brand isn’t visible to them, you’re invisible — full stop.
  • Bots don’t wait. Once a shopper’s AI assistant picks its top recommendations, your chance to be in the running is gone.
  • It’s not expensive to adapt. New Gen’s solution doesn’t require you to rebuild your website from scratch. It’s like opening a special VIP entrance — just for AI.

This Isn’t a Trend. It’s a Tsunami.

The shift to AI shopping isn’t a passing wave — it’s a tsunami.

And like any tsunami, the brands that prepare early will float.

The rest may sink.

So what can Malaysian marketers do today?

  1. Talk to your tech team. Ask if your product data is structured and accessible for AI agents.
  2. Consider an AI-ready site. Even a simple subdomain can be your foot in the door.
  3. Think conversational. If your customer talks to bots, make sure your product descriptions sound natural and clear.
  4. Pilot and test. Try small experiments with AI tools. Measure what traffic comes from bots versus humans.

AI Is Not the Enemy — It’s Your New Sales Rep

It’s time we stop fearing AI and start treating it like a partner.

These bots don’t sleep. They don’t need breaks.

They’re already whispering suggestions into the ears of your customers.

So, why not make sure your brand is part of that whisper?

New Gen has shown us that the future of commerce may not be human versus machine — but human with machine.

And in this new world, the smartest brands will be those that learn to speak both languages.

The question is: will yours?

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