How often do people ask their phone what to buy instead of calling a friend? More than you might think. Nearly 60% of consumers now use artificial intelligence to help with shopping decisions, and almost half trust AI recommendations more than advice from friends when buying clothes.
Nearly 60% of consumers now trust their phone’s AI shopping advice over recommendations from friends.
Major payment companies like PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard are placing big bets on this trend. They see AI becoming the new shopping assistant that millions of people rely on every day. The numbers support their confidence. Around 88% of consumers use AI-generated content and product recommendations to decide what to purchase.
This shift is happening fast across the globe. In Southeast Asia, over 80% of people have embraced AI in their personal shopping activities. Singapore leads the pack, with 65% of shoppers trusting AI recommendations more than human advice. Even in the United States, 38% currently use AI for shopping, while another 52% plan to start soon.
What makes AI so appealing to shoppers? The technology excels at cutting through choice overload. Instead of scrolling through hundreds of products, AI filters and organizes options based on personal preferences. About 92% of shoppers trust personalized product recommendations as matching what they actually want.
AI chatbots have become particularly popular. Shoppers use them to check product availability 73% of the time and track delivery status 70% of the time. These virtual assistants work around the clock, answering questions instantly without waiting for human customer service. The growing confidence in AI is so strong that 83% of shoppers are willing to pay more for AI-powered experiences.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are also changing how people research products. Nearly half of consumers now use these platforms to gather information before making purchases. They trust AI to accurately summarize product features and benefits, with 90% expressing confidence in these capabilities. Consumers integrate AI tools alongside existing research habits rather than replacing them entirely.
Payment companies see AI as the future of commerce. They understand that when AI helps people decide what to buy, those companies processing the payments benefit too. As AI adoption continues growing, with 80% of consumers using it weekly for shopping, these financial giants are positioning themselves at the center of this digital revolution.
