When AI Agents Choose for Consumers: Rethinking Brand Competition in Delegated Markets
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66203/directiva.01303Keywords:
consumer-based brand equity, autonomous AI agents, agent-mediated consideration access, preference translation fidelity, machine-readable brand eligibility, delegated selection discretionAbstract
Autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agents are increasingly capable of selecting product alternatives on consumers’ behalf, raising questions about how established brand advantages translate into competitive consideration. Although brand equity, consideration set, and algorithmic intermediation research explain consumer preferences and technologically mediated exposure, their integration provides a limited account of brand inclusion under delegated selection authority. This conceptual article develops Brand Relevance in Delegated Gatekeeping Environments (BRIDGE) Theory to explain when and how consumer-based brand equity translates into agent-mediated brand consideration access. Integrating four theoretical perspectives, the study specifies three distinct mechanisms: preference translation fidelity, machine-readable brand eligibility, and agentic consideration filtering. Six propositions explain how these mechanisms condition brand inclusion, while delegated selection discretion, product attribute evaluability, consumer verification intensity, and agent objective alignment delimit the theory's applicability. BRIDGE advances a middle-range explanation distinguishing consumer-derived brand value from inclusion in agent-generated consideration sets, without presuming systematic brand displacement. The framework provides a foundation for empirical investigations of delegated purchasing, competitive exclusion, and the evolving conditions of brand relevance in AI-mediated markets.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Zulkarnaen, Nizar Hamdi, I Gst Gede Narung (Author)
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