Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing how organizations conduct commercial activities and make operational decisions. A recent development within this technological shift is the emergence of agentic commerce, in which autonomous AI agents are able to perform purchase related tasks such as product search, supplier comparison, negotiation and transaction execution with low human intervention. While such systems can significantly improve efficiency, responsiveness and data-driven decision making, they also raise important managerial concerns that have not been addressed in existing research. Conventional governance structures for procurement were designed around human decision makers and may not be suitable for environments where algorithmic agents independently execute commercial transactions. This paper investigates the governance requirements that organizations must consider when integrating autonomous purchasing agents into their operational processes. The study develops a conceptual perspective on managerial oversight in AI-driven procurement systems by drawing on ideas from digital governance, organizational control and algorithmic accountability. Particular attention is given to issues such as transparency in automated decision making, mechanisms for human supervision, risk management practices and ethical responsibilities associated with algorithm-based purchasing. Based on these considerations, the paper proposes a governance framework that outlines how organizations can balance the advantages of autonomous commerce technologies with the need for managerial supervision and institutional accountability. The study contributes to the emerging discourse on digital transformation in commerce and management by highlighting governance challenges that accompany the adoption of autonomous AI agents in procurement processes.
Mandot et al. (Mon,) studied this question.