A new report found that businesses are racing to roll out AI-powered shopping tools, but many consumers aren't fully on board yet.
Researchers surveyed 28,000 consumers across 17 countries and examined how shoppers are balancing AI, online shopping and in-store retail experiences.
The report found that while 82% of consumers say they use AI, more than half worry that AI shopping tools are influenced by commercial interests.
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"AI dominates the conversations around business and commerce, but consumers are telling us a more nuanced story. Consumers are embracing AI and digital commerce, but they're also driven by financial pressure and growing intentionality in who they trust. Long-term loyalty will need to earn consumer confidence at every stage of the customer journey through transparency, consistency, and exceptional customer experience," said Brent Taylor, global CEO of WPP Commerce and global commerce lead of VML.
Consumers also tend to skip content they believe was created with AI and report lower levels of trust when brands use AI-generated content.
The study found that while consumers are embracing AI as a tool, they do not want it to replace human judgment. Thirty-three percent said they would not allow AI to make purchases on their behalf, and 58% said they still cross-check AI-generated product recommendations before making a purchase.
