The Third Wave: AI And Web3 Are Changing Commerce At Amazon & QVC

Forbes

23-06-2025

Every TV show becomes a shop-able moment with Edge Video and AI
When I was at AWS working on Cloud and AI, I spent time helping partners unlock the value of marketplaces—connecting buyers and sellers in more meaningful ways, simplifying transactions, and showing how digital platforms could transform traditional sales models.
It taught me something powerful: when you reduce friction and deliver relevance at the right moment, commerce becomes invisible—and incredibly scalable.
That same dynamic is now unfolding in the media.
I'm always watching shows like Bridgerton or Emily in Paris and thinking, I wish I could buy that stunning dress or find that sleek Vespa they were riding. Or I'll be watching Outer Range or Yellowstone and wonder where to get that exact vintage jacket or rustic canoe.
During a recent conversation with Joe Ward, CEO of Edge Video AI, I was introduced to Edge Video AI—a platform that turns any video stream into a living, breathing storefront. It's where watching becomes shopping and viewing becomes doing.
Think of it as the next generation of monetization for content creators and media giants alike.
Moving Beyond Ads and Subscriptions With AI
For years, media companies have leaned on two business models: advertising and subscriptions. But both have limits. Ads fatigue users. Subscriptions are saturating the market. Viewers are seeking better experiences.
Edge Video AI offers a third path: transactional media. It transforms video content into an interactive commerce layer, where AI matches relevant products to what's happening on screen. A single persistent QR code links the viewer's mobile device to the content—making everything instantly shoppable.
Watching a beach scene? You might see travel excursions, swimsuits, or sunscreen appear—exactly when the viewer is most inspired. With one scan, you're browsing or buying without leaving the screen.
Or check out the below from a TV show with your favorite actor. You can click and purchase that same leather jacket on your mobile device live.
Watching a TV show means that you can now find that leather jacket or jeans worn by your favorite ... More actor
In chatting with Robert Scoble, an AI Futurist, he told me that "we're witnessing the death of passive content. The future of media isn't just something you watch—it's something you engage with, shop from, and participate in. Real-time AI is turning every frame into a storefront and every viewer into a customer. This isn't just innovation—it's the reinvention of entertainment as an interactive, commerce-driven experience."
And it works. One purchase can generate the same revenue as 300 traditional ads.
Why AI Works: Relevance, Trust, and Mobile
Edge succeeds by tapping into three converging trends:
The model is already live with QVC, Amazon, and InTravel, and attracting attention from global players like Google. Any media company can onboard in days—Edge provides the QR layer and product feed, and the content starts working harder.
This isn't just an innovation in tech—it's a shift in user experience design.
Web3 Adds the Engagement Layer To Edge's AI
What takes Edge to the next level is its Web3 integration.
Gamified experiences—like quizzes based on what's happening in the video—reward users with points. Those points convert into blockchain-based tokens (like FAST, available on Gate.io and Polygon), which can be redeemed for discounts, access, or even NFT-style digital assets.
The experience transforms viewers from passive audiences into active participants—blurring the lines between media, commerce, and gaming.
And it's wallet-enabled from the start. Tokens are stored in decentralized wallets like MetaMask, meaning users keep control—and brands gain loyalty through participation, not interruption.
The AI Business Model Built for Scale
Edge Video AI is quietly reshaping the media landscape by embedding real-time shopping directly into broadcast and on-demand video. Unlike traditional models that rely on manual tagging or interruptive overlays, Edge's fully automated, patent-backed system enables commerce to happen seamlessly within video content itself.
Edge Video AI is already live with Intravel and DangerTV, and is rolling out across two major national media networks and five regional or mid-sized broadcasters.The platform has integrations with over 21,000 vendors and access to more than 15 million products, including from giants like Amazon and Viator.
The company's approach is designed for simplicity—deployment takes just hours, and it layers onto existing content without altering production workflows. Media partners see revenue shares ranging from 35 to 55 percent, along with optional setup fees and GDPR-compliant privacy protections. For an industry under pressure to find new revenue models, Edge Video AI offers a compelling case: commerce that doesn't interrupt, but integrates.
It's a model designed to be additive, not disruptive—meaning it layers onto existing content without requiring major workflow changes. It's also built for scale: from major broadcasters to niche creators, anyone with video can now drive direct revenue from it.
Web3 and AI Moves From Intention to Action
What makes this moment different from past shop-able media attempts is the convergence of maturity in three spaces:
It's the next evolution of how we connect attention to action.
In a discussion with Joe Ward, the CEO, Edge Video AI, he said that "we believe content should work harder—for creators and for viewers. Our AI doesn't just watch video, it understands it, and instantly connects it to products people care about. Whether you're streaming on your phone or wearing AR glasses, the experience is seamless, contextual, and rewarding. This is where storytelling meets commerce—and where creators finally get paid when their influence drives action."
Joe Ward, CEO of Edge Video Ai
As someone who's helped build platforms at the intersection of technology and commerce—from enterprise ecosystems to decentralized identity—I see Edge Video AI as part of a broader shift from attention-based economies to intention-driven experiences.
The Downsides Of AI
But as with any technological leap, there are trade-offs worth considering.
When every moment of entertainment becomes a moment of monetization, we risk blurring the line between storytelling and salesmanship. There's a fine balance between offering convenience and fostering consumption fatigue—especially when AI determines what we see and when.
While shop-able content can feel seamless, it may also erode the escapism that draws people to media in the first place. If every sunset scene becomes a travel ad and every stylish outfit a product pitch, creators and audiences alike may start to feel the weight of commercial saturation.
The challenge moving forward will be ensuring that utility doesn't come at the cost of authenticity.
The New Revenue That AI Brings
Helping partners realize the value of marketplaces at AWS gave me a front-row seat to how digital experiences can create exponential outcomes. What I'm seeing now in the media world feels just as pivotal.
Edge Video AI isn't just turning content into a storefront. It's turning engagement into revenue and viewers into participants. It's building a path where content creators can scale without more ads or more paywalls—and where consumers can enjoy, interact, and transact in one fluid motion.
The marketplace of the future isn't a website or an app—it's wherever our attention lives.
And for media, that future just got a lot closer.
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