Consumers across generations are warming up to AI as a retail companion, especially bridge millennials (older millennials straddling GenX), 38% of whom already use some form of generative AI for shopping. According to 2024 PYMNTS Intelligence data, 32% of consumers overall have tried AI shopping tools, often favoring them for work-related and creative tasks first—shopping is just the latest leap. Even baby boomers are showing up at the digital aisles, with 28% reporting AI usage. While curiosity is rising, it’s not without concern: 85% of shoppers still feel uneasy about privacy and personalization.
Leading the AI shopping charge, platforms like Perplexity, OpenAI, and Google are turning chatbots into full-blown shopping assistants. Perplexity added tools like “Snap to Shop,” unbiased product suggestions, and a one-click checkout for Pro subscribers. OpenAI now displays product carousels in ChatGPT and lets users phone in shopping requests with a toll-free number, 800-GPT-0090. Meanwhile, Google’s AI Mode layers conversational search with its Shopping Graph, plus a “Buy For Me” function that triggers a purchase when pre-set criteria are met.
On the payment side, transaction handoffs are getting smoother. Only 32% of consumers now hesitate at AI-managed checkouts, a major drop from 66% six months earlier. Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal are embedding AI commerce options, with Amazon offering agentic buying straight from external sites. The real shift? AI has moved beyond suggestion into full-on transaction—research, recommend, and now ring it up.
Full story at PYMNTS.