Acosta Group: AI is becoming a shopping channel

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Generative AI is increasingly integral to 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. Gen AI is used by 74% of Gen Z and Millennial shoppers, while usage among Boomers has reached 45%. ChatGPT and Google Gemini are among shoppers’ preferred tools, with 25% routinely using Gemini when searching online for products.

“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.”

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. Usage is particularly prevalent in frequently purchased categories such as groceries, household products, and health and wellness.

AI is also beginning to influence which products consumers ultimately choose. Half of Gen Z and Millennials who use AI said the technology had influenced their purchasing decisions over the previous three months. Among shoppers influenced by AI, 40% said they had tried a new brand, underscoring the technology’s growing role in product discovery.

Trust, however, remains a barrier to more autonomous shopping. Only 22% of Gen AI shopping users said they trust AI agents to make purchasing decisions on their behalf, with the share rising to 35% among Millennials. Nearly half of shoppers, 48%, also expressed concerns about how their data is stored and protected.

“Shoppers’ trust in AI for product recommendations has been slow in evolving to allow agents to make purchases on their behalf, reflecting concerns for the privacy of their own lives and those of their families,” said Kathy Risch, SVP Shopper Insights and Thought Leadership for Acosta Group. “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. Companies that earn shopper trust now will be best positioned as AI becomes a more active purchase agent.”

As consumer behavior evolves, Acosta Group recommends that brands focus on retailer readiness, deeper shopper understanding, AI discoverability, and experimentation.

The study was conducted May 15-21 among 1,271 U.S. shoppers who had shopped at least once across any retail channel in the previous three months.