"AI has earned the right to guide decisions, but it has not yet earned the right to spend on a shopper's behalf. This distinction matters more than people realize."
"Nearly a quarter of global consumers report turning to GenAI as an information source during their shopping journey, an increase of eight percentage points in just one year."
"AI-driven referrals grew more than 300% globally in 2025, far outpacing growth from other referral sources that posted a 40% growth rate."
AI is influencing consumer shopping behavior, particularly in the research and evaluation stages. While AI-driven referrals have surged, consumers remain hesitant to allow AI to finalize purchases. The industry is misidentifying the disruption as occurring at checkout, when it is actually happening earlier in the shopping journey. A significant percentage of consumers are using AI as an information source, indicating a shift in how shopping is approached, but the final control over purchases remains with the consumer.
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