Bank of America Forecasts Amazon Leading New Era of Autonomous AI
New York, Sunday, 11 January 2026.
Bank of America identifies 2026 as the year of “Agentic AI,” predicting Amazon will lead a market rotation into software that executes tasks autonomously rather than just processing text.
The Shift to Agentic AI
While market skepticism has grown regarding the longevity of the artificial intelligence trade, Bank of America’s (BofA) analysis suggests the sector has not yet reached its zenith. In a report released earlier this week, the bank argues that “peak optimism” is still on the horizon, driven by a fundamental shift in technology utility [1]. For the past two years, the narrative has been dominated by chatbots and Large Language Models (LLMs); however, 2026 is projected to be the defining year for “agentic AI”—software capable of executing complex tasks autonomously rather than merely generating text [1].
The Amazon Advantage and Strategic Partnerships
Leading this charge is Amazon (AMZN), which BofA analysts, led by Justin Post, believe is poised for a significant strategic evolution. The bank anticipates a potential partnership between Amazon and OpenAI focused on “agentic commerce” [2]. Such a collaboration could be instrumental in reducing the “overhang on Amazon’s retail business,” addressing competitive concerns while modernizing the consumer experience [2]. This moves the value proposition from simple product search to autonomous transaction management.
Autonomous Action in the Service Economy
The transition to agentic AI extends beyond pure technology firms into the service economy. BofA predicts that Booking Holdings will launch chat-based booking capabilities directly on its platform [2]. If these tools achieve parity with competitive agentic AI offerings, analysts believe it could mitigate fears regarding the loss of direct traffic to generalist AI assistants [2]. Similarly, DoorDash is expected to expand its autonomous delivery capabilities through new partnerships in additional metro areas, leveraging the maturation of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology [2].
Institutional Adoption as a Barometer
The financial sector’s own adoption of these technologies underscores the scale of this transition. While BofA recommends tech stocks for investors, the bank itself has deployed over 270 AI models and offers AI agents to a significant portion of its workforce [3]. Competitors are moving with equal aggression; JPMorgan has equipped over 60,000 technology professionals with AI coding assistants, reportedly yielding a 20% productivity gain [3]. Citi is also transitioning to an “AI-first” organizational model [3]. However, experts warn that despite these billions in investment, legacy systems and risk-averse cultures could still leave established giants vulnerable to agile, AI-native competitors [3].