Handing shopping over to AI: How far will shoppers actually go?

In the past six months, 63% of Americans say they’ve used generative AI for shopping-related tasks, alongside 67% of Brits, 56% of Canadians, and 61% of Australians. Most shoppers use AI for practical tasks: researching and comparing products (47% US), finding deals (41%), or summarizing reviews (39%). Others use it to brainstorm gift ideas (31%) or build shopping lists (29%).

Compared to August 2025, usage has grown in most markets. Last year, 59% of Americans, 55% of Brits, 56% of Canadians, and 55% of Australians reported using generative AI for shopping tasks. The shift suggests AI is moving beyond early adoption and into everyday use.

ChatGPT remains the dominant tool across all four markets. 56% of Americans say they use ChatGPT for shopping, compared to 60% of Brits, 64% of Canadians, and 70% of Australians, outperforming Google’s Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Amazon Rufus. While U.S. usage has slightly declined compared to last year (65%), adoption has grown significantly in the UK (39% → 60%), Canada (37% → 64%), and Australia (40% → 70%).

Perception has shifted alongside usage. 42% of American shoppers say ChatGPT provides better product recommendations than search engines, compared to 44% in the UK, 48% in Canada, and 52% in Australia. A year ago, those numbers were closer to one in four across markets.

AI adoption is also expanding into retailer-owned environments. 13% of Americans say they’ve used AI features built directly into a retailer’s website, alongside 12% in the UK, 9% in Canada, and 14% in Australia, showing that AI is not confined to standalone tools.

Most notably, AI is beginning to function as a checkout environment. In late September 2025, OpenAI introduced Instant Checkout within ChatGPT, allowing users to browse, select, and complete purchases without leaving the chat interface. The feature is currently available only in the U.S., and 38% of Americans say they’ve completed a purchase directly inside ChatGPT without being redirected to another website.

What began as a thinking assistant for research and comparison is now evolving into a place where purchases actually happen.

Comfort with AI-led transactions is high. 80% of Americans say they would feel comfortable handing over transactions to AI in some form, compared to 77% of Brits, 74% of Canadians, and 75% of Australians. But most often, with conditions such as full approval before purchase or limits to routine orders.

That comfort has increased over time. Last year, 68% across all four countries said they were comfortable with AI handling transactions, indicating a measurable shift in acceptance.

A smaller group is ready to fully delegate. 16% of Americans say they would allow AI to automatically reorder products without reviewing them, alongside 15% in the UK and Australia, and 13% in Canada.

However, personalized pricing remains a clear red line. If a retailer used AI to charge different customers different prices for the same product, 70% of Americans, 69% of Brits, and 66% of Canadians and Australians say they would reduce engagement or stop shopping there, or even leave negative reviews. Only 8–9% in each country say it would not change their behavior.

All in all, these results show that trust grows when control, transparency, and safeguards are visible – and it retracts quickly when those boundaries are crossed.