JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Artificial intelligence has quickly moved from novelty to necessity in retail, with generative AI emerging as a powerful new gatekeeper of consumer decision-making, according to a new shopper study from Acosta Group released ahead of Groceryshop 2025.
The study, based on responses from more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, shows that 70% of shoppers have already used AI tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Google Gemini to support their shopping. While consumers cite saving time, saving money, and product comparisons as the leading benefits, the report underscores that AI is fundamentally reshaping the shopper journey — with critical implications for retailers and brands.
“Generative AI tools are becoming the new gatekeepers of the shopper journey,” said John Carroll, President of Connected Commerce at Acosta Group. “Retailers and brands have to rethink and evolve how they show up in AI-powered environments, build trust with consumers, and prepare for a future where voice assistants and autonomous agents drive purchase decisions.”
Adoption Accelerates, Grocery Leads
Nearly all respondents (99%) were aware of AI, and younger consumers in particular are embracing it: more than half of Gen Z shoppers say they trust AI tools more than traditional sources. Grocery stands out as the leading category for AI adoption, with 36% of shoppers using generative AI for research, browsing, or buying. Health and wellness (28%), electronics (27%), and beauty and personal care (25%) follow closely behind.
“Our research confirms that AI is transforming the way consumers shop, and consumers are embracing AI in grocery shopping faster than in any other category,” said Kathy Risch, SVP of Shopper Insights and Thought Leadership at Acosta Group.
Still, consumer use of retailer-specific AI tools lags. Despite major investments in assistants such as Walmart’s Sparky and Amazon’s Rufus, fewer than 15% of shoppers have tried them — leaving an opportunity for retailers to close the awareness gap.
“Space is limited with AI shopping tools,” said Carroll. “Shoppers are seeing only the top two-to-three options in their searches based on context and trust, in contrast to the digital shelf of over 25 items or the physical shelf of over 100 items that they’ve seen in the past. Brands need to understand the new retailer algorithms and revise their marketing strategies to earn a top spot in the digital consideration set.”
Trust and Transparency
Although consumers are embracing AI-driven discovery, concerns persist about privacy, fraud, and automated purchasing. Just 12% of shoppers currently trust AI to make purchases on their behalf, though nearly one-third would consider allowing AI to autonomously complete grocery orders. Building trust through transparency, data protection, and consistent value delivery will be critical, the report notes.
Competitive Stakes
“Today, brands and retailers need to optimize digital content across all platforms for AI-driven discovery and actively promote these tools to create demand,” Carroll said. “At the same time, we can’t overlook the fundamentals in the shopper journey: the worst case scenario is for AI to highlight your brand on the shortlist, and then miss the sale because your product is out of stock or not listed on the app.”
Because generative AI tools typically present shoppers with just two or three options instead of an endless shelf, brands face new urgency in optimizing their presence. Acosta recommends that brands and retailers focus on conversation-driven content, robust product detail pages, agent-friendly advertising strategies, and collaboration on AI demand signals.
“In the near future, AI agents will be making at least some of our purchase decisions,” said Carroll. “The retail and brand winners will be those who build trust, show up in AI-powered environments, and make it easy for shoppers to say ‘yes.’”
The survey was conducted from June 13 to 17, 2025, among 1,074 shoppers from Acosta Group’s proprietary Shopper Community.
