Podcast
The New Frontier: The Agentic Commerce & Answer Engine Optimization podcast
Hosted by Jo and Max · EN
This podcast explores the fast-moving world of AI for leaders and owners of ecommerce businesses. We discuss topics such as AI Answer Engine Optimization - getting your brand mentioned by ChatGPT / Amazon Rufus. It's hosted by Jo Lambadjieva, Founder of Amazing Wave and AI Educator; and Max Sinclair, Founder of Azoma & ex-Amazonian. It is brought to you by www.azoma.ai and amazingwave.digital
Connect with us:
https://ecommerce-ai.beehiiv.com/
https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4
https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The State of Play in Agentic Commerce, by Max Sinclair (CEO & Founder of Azoma)
3w ago00:13:37Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Max Sinclair, founder of Azoma and ex-Amazonian, breaks down how AI shopping agents—like ChatGPT, Gemini, Amazon Rufus, and Walmart’s Sparky—are completely rewriting the rules of how consumers discover and buy products online. From monumental algorithmic shifts to the collapse of traditional keyword SEO, discover why optimizing for Agentic Commerce is the mandatory new frontier for brands and retailers.The Agentic Discovery Shift: Why we are currently at an early-2000s inflection point resembling Google’s massive takeover of Yahoo search.The Shrinking Digital Shelf: Moving away from Page 1 on Amazon to surviving a world where AI agents only recommend the top 5 highly personalized products.Keywords vs. LLM World Knowledge: Why Amazon's Cosmo algorithm underlines a permanent shift away from traditional keyword stack-ranking.The Science of Query Fanout: Breaking down why the average AI commerce query performs 10 internal subqueries and cites 15 different sources before answering.The Big Tech Breakdown: Analyzing the direct bottom-line impact of Amazon’s Rufus, Alexa for Shopping, Google Gemini Spark, and Universal Cart.Walmart’s Sparky & Meta’s Ecosystem: What happens when a retail app becomes fully "AI-native" and average order sizes instantly jump by 35%.The Netscape Trap: The existential hurdle facing ChatGPT and why custom retailer apps (like Target and Sephora) are stepping in.Action Plan: Max introduces Azoma's groundbreaking 5C Framework for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).The Black Friday Boom: AI chatbots and agents drove $14 Billion in sales on Black Friday alone, influencing 20% of total purchases.The Rufus Effect: Rufus drove $12 Billion in incremental revenue for Amazon, making users who interact with it up to 60% more likely to purchase.The Sparky Surge: Walmart shoppers using Sparky place orders that are, on average, 35% larger, with weekly active users doubling quarter-over-quarter.To stay visible in the age of conversational search, your brand needs a completely new playbook. Max introduces Azoma's 5C Framework—the ultimate guide to mastering agentic commerce optimization and protecting your AI share of voice.👉 [Download Azoma's Official 5C Framework White Paper Here ]Website: https://www.azoma.ai/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/Subscribe to the Podcast: Hit follow on Spotify to never miss an episode on the fast-moving AI retail landscape!Keywords: Agentic Commerce, Generative Engine Optimization, GEO, Amazon Rufus, Walmart Sparky, Google Gemini, Max Sinclair, Azoma, AI Ecommerce Strategy, Answer Engine Optimization
Transcribe →Amazon Rufus Adoption is highest amongst Women, the Highly Educated, and Baby Boomers with Artiom Enkov of Gener8
May 900:42:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The New Frontier, Jo and Max are joined by Artiom Enkov , VP of Insights at Gener8 to unpack one of the first detailed UK and US data studies on Amazon Rufus usage. Drawing on a fully consented metered panel of more than 50,000 Android users, Generate reveals a surprising demographic twist: Rufus is indexing highest among older shoppers, especially Baby Boomers, Gen X, and retired users, rather than the AI-native younger generations many would expect.The conversation dives into how shoppers are actually using Rufus inside Amazon. In the US, where Rufus has more advanced functionality and account memory, users lean heavily on comparison, product evaluation, post-purchase questions, and more complex prompts. In the UK, where Rufus is still more limited, usage is more focused on quick factual answers about products. The team explores why Rufus appears to be less about top-of-funnel discovery and more about helping shoppers navigate the “messy middle” of purchase decisions.The episode also looks ahead to the future of AI-powered commerce, including sponsored Rufus prompts, advertising inside AI shopping journeys, trust in AI recommendations, and Amazon’s move toward scheduled actions and agentic purchasing. From comparison tables to automated replenishment, the discussion highlights how Rufus could reshape not only search and advertising on Amazon, but the way brands think about optimization in an AI-first shopping environment.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma and Amazing Wave. Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
Transcribe →60% of Amazon Shoppers Use Rufus, and Those Who Do Purchase 2.74x More: Ian Simpson of Sensor Tower on Tracking 60,000 Shoppers
Apr 2500:35:31Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The New Frontier, Max sits down with Ian Simpson, SVP of Innovation at Sensor Tower, to unpack new data on how Amazon shoppers are using Rufus, Amazon’s AI shopping assistant. Based on a panel of 60,000 real U.S. shoppers tracked over 18 months, Sensor Tower found that heavy Amazon users now include Rufus in around 60% of shopping sessions—and shoppers who use Rufus are up to 2.74x more likely to purchase than those who don’t.Ian explains why the headline is less about Rufus magically creating demand, and more about high-intent shoppers adopting AI to help them find exactly what they already want to buy. The discussion dives into Sensor Tower’s methodology, the difference between web and app behavior, Black Friday and Q1 shopping patterns, and why Rufus usage drops during deal-led browsing events like Amazon’s Big Spring Sale.Max and Ian also explore what this means for brands selling on Amazon. As AI shopping assistants become embedded in the customer journey, product discovery is changing fast—and brands need to understand how to show up when shoppers ask Rufus for help. From agentic commerce to AI-driven product search, this episode offers a data-backed look at where Amazon shopping is heading next.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma and Amazing Wave. Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
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New Frontier: The Agent Economy: Business Model Disruption in the Age of AI
Jan 1500:42:36Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The New Frontier, Max is joined by Martin Schwartzman, Partner and Global AI Lead at OC&C Strategy Consultants, to unpack how agentic AI is reshaping business models and commerce. The conversation starts with the week’s biggest news around agent commerce protocols from Google and OpenAI, exploring what “agentic commerce” really means for consumers. Martin paints a vivid picture of an AI-powered shopping journey where personal agents understand intent, preferences, size, availability, price, and quality—removing friction and shifting personalization from retailers to the consumer’s own AI.From there, the discussion dives into the implications for e-commerce platforms, brands, and marketplaces. Martin argues that agentic commerce is more of an evolution than a revolution for e-commerce overall, but one that significantly shifts power from the “shop window” to the decision layer controlled by AI. Winners will be brands and retailers with strong products, consistent availability, differentiated data, and superior end-to-end experiences, while those reliant on gaming search algorithms or paid traffic may lose their edge. The episode also explores how Amazon, Walmart, and Target may be affected, including the knock-on disruption to retailer media, loyalty models, and customer lifetime value in a world where AI intermediates the journey.The conversation then broadens to other industries under pressure from AI, including publishing, data owners, law, and consulting. Martin shares insights on the emerging “gold rush” for proprietary data, the risks of one-off licensing deals, the rise of synthetic data, and what publishers should consider when selling to AI labs. The episode closes with a thoughtful debate on whether consultants and lawyers are ultimately doomed, or simply forced to reinvent themselves, as AI moves toward weak and eventually full artificial general intelligence. A wide-ranging, practical, and forward-looking discussion on how AI is re-wiring the modern economy.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma and Amazing Wave. Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
Transcribe →2026 AI & Ecommerce Predictions with Jo & Max (Agentic Commerce, AI Wearables, The Death of Prompting and more)
Jan 300:45:10Tap to summarizeIn the first 2026 episode of The New Frontier, as is tradition, Max and Jo dive into their annual predictions. They start with a quick look back at their 2025 predictions, many of which, from the AI infrastructure boom to Google’s dip in dominance, proved accurate.Looking ahead, they forecast a sharp rise in synthetic content, predicting that 30–40% of social media posts will be AI-generated or enhanced by year’s end. This tidal wave of “AI slop” will trigger a backlash, sparking renewed interest in human-made content, premium communities, and slower, more intentional creation. Hyper-personalization will define digital experiences across health, education, and commerce—driven by memory-enabled AI agents that tailor everything to the individual. At the same time, they predict a resurgence in digital PR as brands chase visibility in AI-powered search engines, which increasingly prioritize reputable media over slop-saturated platforms like Reddit and Wikipedia.The episode also explores the future of agentic commerce, where shopping journeys will shift from passive browsing to active AI assistance. Max predicts Amazon’s Rufus will evolve from a sidebar tool to the primary interface—replacing search entirely for many users. This, paired with the rise of AI wearables, proactive voice interfaces, and ambient agents, will blur the lines between consumer intent and algorithmic anticipation. They round out the conversation with bold takes on world models, long-form AI video, and fully autonomous scientific discovery—framing 2026 as the year AI stops assisting and starts acting.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma and Amazing Wave. Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
Transcribe →Sponsored Prompts: Amazon Ads' new format for the era of AI Search [Recorded Live from the Amazon Ads Educators' Summit]
Dec 1800:13:53Tap to summarizeThis special Episode of the New Frontier recorded live from the Amazon Ad Summit in Milan, to mark a landmark announcement: the launch of Sponsored Prompts groundbreaking new Ads format. Host Max Sinclair was joined by Oana Padurariu to discuss their workshop with Amazon’s Lead Global AI Advertising Product Manager, who explained how these AI-powered follow-up questions are reshaping shopper engagement. Unlike traditional ads, Sponsored Prompts appear as follow-up queries beneath Rufus responses, offering a more native, customer-friendly experience that blends seamlessly with the evolving landscape of answer engines.Currently in its free rollout phase, Sponsored Prompts are automatically generated based on a brand’s existing ad targeting and listing content. While advertisers can't yet edit the questions or responses, they can influence them through smart campaign structuring and listing optimization. The hosts emphasize the growing importance of clean campaign design, noting that Amazon’s system leverages product data and performance to craft the prompts and inferred answers. This backend differs from Rufus itself, even though they appear connected—highlighting Amazon’s layered approach to search and advertising technologies.The discussion turns to future predictions on how Amazon will quickly allow more customization as monetization kicks in and brands demand more control; and how this model will be copied by other platforms like OpenAI and Perplexity, as it offers a better path to monetizing answer engines. With Rufus users converting 60% more often and already adding $10 billion in revenue, Amazon’s new Sponsored Prompts could very well define the next generation of digital advertising.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma, Amazing Wave, and Ecomtent.Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
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Alibaba’s AI Sourcing Agent Accio, and the Future of Agentic Commerce, with Ziwei Chen
Dec 1500:37:21Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The New Frontier, hosts Max and Jo welcome Ziwei Chen, Product Lead for Accio by Alibaba, for a deep dive into the intersection of AI, procurement, and global manufacturing. The conversation kicks off with Ziwei reflecting on her recent return to China after four years living in Silicon Valley, sharing insights on how the country has rapidly transformed technologically, including widespread adoption of facial recognition and group chat commerce. Comparing this with the U.S. tech ecosystem, she highlights how foundational innovation thrives in the West, while China leads in scaled application and user adoption.The discussion then shifts to how Accio is reshaping global sourcing with AI. Ziwei introduces a simple but powerful framework: AI can either “do it for me” or “teach me more.” Accio leans into both, automating repetitive sourcing tasks while also guiding users with data-driven insights. From entrepreneurs launching new product lines to procurement teams at large retailers, Accio streamlines supplier discovery, market research, and even product design using integrated tools like multimodal search and high-quality image generation—transforming how products are sourced and validated.Looking ahead, Zue discusses the next frontier of AI in manufacturing. She shares how factories, especially in China, are adopting AI for everything from automated defect detection to collaborative product innovation. With AI helping manufacturers reduce costs, iterate faster, and tap into emerging trends, Accio aims to bridge the gap between innovative ideas and real-world production. The episode wraps with reflections on the future of agent-based systems in procurement and how tools like Axio are getting remarkably close to true multi-step reasoning—bringing us closer to a fully AI-powered supply chain.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma, Amazing Wave, and Ecomtent.Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
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Pivoting a failing marketplace business to an $11m ARR Enterprise AI SaaS with Gaétan Rougevin-Baville
Nov 2100:40:41Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The New Frontier, Max sits down with Gaétan Rougevin-Baville , CEO of Diffusely, an AI-powered visual production platform serving major players in fashion and automotive. Gaétan shares the remarkable story of how he led a hard pivot from a global photography marketplace into a verticalized AI SaaS business—scaling revenue to $11 million in just three years. Originally joining a company called MERO, Gaétan witnessed the rapid rise and fall of the traditional content production model as COVID-19 and advancing tech disrupted demand for professional photography.The conversation dives deep into the operational and emotional complexities of the pivot. At its peak, the company had over 800 employees and $45M in GMV, but pivoting to AI meant a complete overhaul - downsizing to 100 employees and realigning leadership. Gaétan opens up about making tough decisions, navigating mass layoffs, and building trust through transparency. He also offers insight into leading with empathy, supporting those affected through job placement efforts, and maintaining morale during massive organizational change.Looking ahead, Gaétan explains how Diffusely now helps enterprise clients in fashion and automotive generate and manage visual content at scale using AI. By focusing on deep verticalization, robust enterprise integration, and blending AI with human expertise, Diffusely delivers fast, high-volume image production. Gaia shares go-to-market strategies, lessons in hiring and customer success, and how to drive adoption in large, change-resistant organizations. It’s an honest, deeply practical look at modern leadership in the age of AI transformation.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma, Amazing Wave, and Ecomtent.Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
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Leading Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) at Mars Wrigley during the era AI Discoverability, with Global Director of Search Tory Bradley
Nov 600:24:56Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Tory Bradley, Global E-Commerce Retail Search Director at Mars Wrigley, dives deep into how Mars is navigating the evolving world of GenAI, search, and digital commerce. Drawing on Mars’ legacy of embracing technology - from pioneering electrified chocolate production in the 1920s to revolutionizing vending machines- Tory explains how the company is once again at a pivotal inflection point. She shares how Mars, in partnership with Azoma, is embracing generative AI to stay visible in an increasingly digital path-to-purchase landscape, where tools like Amazon’s Rufus and OpenAI’s ChatGPT are reshaping the way consumers discover and shop for products.Tory breaks down the difference between traditional SEO and the newer, fast-moving world of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), highlighting how retail search now demands cross-functional collaboration across content, PR, legal, and marketing. She emphasizes the need for both top-down leadership support and bottom-up experimentation to drive AI adoption. With real-time changes in how platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and others surface product information, Mars is investing in partnerships and agile processes to stay ahead of shifting algorithms, new discovery channels, and consumer behaviors.The conversation also explores the broader industry implications of AI-powered shopping assistants, such as Amazon’s Rufus and Walmart’s emerging integrations, which are already driving significant incremental sales. Tori shares how she stays informed in a fast-evolving space, the organizational challenges of aligning large teams toward innovation, and why she believes e-commerce and search are the most dynamic and exciting areas in marketing today. With a clear passion for building future-forward strategies, Tori is helping position Mars Wrigley as a trailblazer in Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) search during the AI era.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma, Amazing Wave, and Ecomtent.Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
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The New Rufus: Reason, Research & Remembrance with Max Sinclair
Oct 2800:22:35Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Max, founder of Azoma, breaks down insights from his team's latest whitepaper (read here), co-authored with Andrew Bell, on Amazon’s AI shopping assistant, Rufus, and its transformative role in the future of e-commerce. Drawing from this deep dive and his own years at Amazon, Max explains how Rufus is rapidly evolving into a hyper-personalized shopping agent—one that remembers user preferences, reasons contextually, and incorporates data from external sources to deliver smarter product recommendations. He explores how Amazon is shifting from building the best e-commerce website to creating the most advanced shopping AI, poised to redefine how people shop online.Max outlines the strategic importance of Rufus for brands, emphasizing the need to rethink product detail pages in this new AI-first landscape. Rather than keyword stuffing, successful PDPs now focus on five key elements: property, event, activity, purpose, and audience—criteria drawn from Amazon’s own research. With Rufus fetching data from authoritative external sources like media reviews, Max stresses the importance of visibility across trusted third-party platforms. He also shares how brands, both large and small, are adapting differently—some investing in off-the-shelf AI tools like Azuma, others experimenting with custom GPTs to meet AI optimization demands.Looking ahead, Max predicts a near future where Rufus replaces the traditional search bar entirely, becoming the default interface for shopping on Amazon. He envisions an agent that not only understands users’ preferences deeply but also curates purchases based on aesthetics, past behaviors, and real-world context—ultimately offering a seamless, personalized, and highly efficient shopping experience. With AI reshaping every layer of commerce, Max leaves listeners with a clear takeaway: e-commerce is entering a new era, and those who adapt fast will lead the pack.This podcast is brought to you by Azoma, Amazing Wave, and Ecomtent.Connect with us:https://twitter.com/maxsinclair4https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sinclair-ai/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalambadjieva/
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