JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Artificial intelligence is becoming a more significant part of the shopping journey, with 34% of shoppers now using AI tools to shop, according to a new Acosta Group study.
The research found particularly strong adoption among younger consumers. Generative AI is used by 74% of Gen Z and millennial shoppers and a fast-rising 45% of boomers. ChatGPT and Google Gemini are shoppers’ preferred tools, with 25% routinely using Gemini when searching online for products.
Consumers primarily turn to AI to save money and time, compare products and conduct product research. Among Gen Z shoppers who use AI, 55% use the technology while shopping in stores. AI usage is highest in frequently purchased categories, including grocery and household products and health and wellness items.
AI is also increasingly influencing what consumers ultimately buy. Half of Gen Z and millennial AI users said the technology influenced their purchasing decisions during the previous three months. For shoppers influenced by AI, its primary role was helping them choose among different product options.
The findings also point to opportunities for brands to reach consumers through a new product discovery channel. Nearly half of AI-influenced shoppers said they would likely select a known brand when presented with an unfamiliar option, underscoring the continued importance of brand awareness and loyalty. At the same time, 40% said they had tried a new brand.
“Success,” said John Carroll, president of Connected Commerce for Acosta Group, “requires brands to build new or elevated pathways for their products to be understood, recommended, compared and selected by any AI.”
Trust, however, remains a barrier to more autonomous AI shopping. Generative AI is considered as trustworthy as other information sources by 60% of shoppers who use the technology, but confidence can be damaged by incorrect or misleading information and concerns that recommendations may be influenced by advertising.
Data privacy is another concern, with 48% of shoppers expressing reservations about how their information is stored and protected. Only 22% of consumers using generative AI for shopping said they trust AI agents to make purchasing decisions for them. That figure rises to 35% among millennials.
“The more value shoppers experience with AI, the more likely they will share information, especially as brands and retailers provide transparency on how it will be protected,” said Kathy Risch, SVP Shopper Insights and Thought Leadership for Acosta Group. “Companies that earn shopper trust now will be best positioned as AI becomes a more active purchase agent.”
Acosta Group said brands should concentrate on four areas as AI becomes more embedded in commerce: retailer readiness, understanding how shoppers communicate their needs and desired outcomes, AI discoverability and experimentation with emerging shopping behaviors.
“Brands’ and retailers’ future growth will require knowing how products move through the AI commerce stack we’ve defined, evolving from discovery to decision to transaction,” Carroll said.
The study was conducted May 15-21 among 1,271 U.S. shoppers who had shopped at least one retail channel during the previous three months.
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