The news: US shopper interest in generative AI (genAI) assistants has spiked 223% between 2023 and 2025, per Chain Store Age.

• 69% of US consumers surveyed by CouponFollow have used AI assistants for shopping.
• 74% think AI is better than humans at finding deals. In fact, consumers saved an average of $83 when using AI shopping assistants in the past year.

Generational differences: Gen X leads in AI shopping assistant use, but Gen Z is more willing to trust AI agents to make purchases.

• 72% of Gen Xers have used an AI shopping assistant, with most deploying AI on Amazon, while Gen Z and millennials prefer ChatGPT.
• More than half (54%) of Gen Zers are comfortable with AI making their purchases for them, but Gen Xers are the least likely to give AI that kind of control.

Platform trust varies: Not every site is created equal when it comes to AI shopping assistance.

• Consumers trust Amazon AI more than twice as much as Target. More than half (56%) would use AI help on Amazon versus 25% for Target.
• Trust in Big Tech companies’ AI is mixed. Google trails Amazon in AI shopping assistant trust at 34%, but Apple (20%) and Microsoft (18%) fare worse.

An opening for retailers: Surprisingly, only 32% of US consumers are using AI to compare prices or find deals, even though three-quarters think it’s superior at that task. That gap indicates there’s room to improve adoption.

• Retailers should bring AI front and center to provide transparency on prices. Even if a specific site doesn’t have the best price, that kind of honesty could boost brand loyalty.
• AI recommendations could win over more consumers, but brands must walk a fine line: 64% of respondents believe AI is biased toward specific products.

Time to take AI action: “While it may be early days for genAI shopping assistants, their surging adoption shows that they are quickly evolving from a novelty to potential growth engine,” said EMARKETER senior analyst Zak Stambor.

“Retailers should experiment now: As discovery shifts from Google to generative agents, those that learn how to optimize their product data will be well-poised to capture the next wave of shoppers.”

Our take: Retailers' AI strategies must match their audiences. Those geared toward younger consumers should highlight AI use and innovation and even let AI guide purchases. For older consumers, focus on AI to inform, not take control.

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