The news: Traffic from AI sources to US retail sites soared 393% YoY in the first three months of 2026, per Adobe, with the travel industry following at 233%.

What it means: More consumers are turning to AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini for advice on where and what to buy. At the same time, Adobe’s surging traffic figures could give the impression that AI tools are more influential than they actually are. Only 16% of consumers regularly or always use AI to shop, while 52% say they never or rarely do, according to a November Bizrate Insights survey.

Still, while AI platforms account for a small sliver of overall visits, Adobe’s data indicates that such traffic may be higher quality than that coming from non-AI sources. Shoppers arriving via AI tend to be more engaged and more likely to convert than those coming from traditional channels.

Consumers aren’t blindly trusting these tools. Many continue to validate recommendations elsewhere, searching for additional info or asking follow-up questions before making a purchase decision.

Implications for brands and retailers: AI platforms are gradually becoming more trusted sources in the shopping journey, although consumers remain wary of the risk of hallucinations and otherwise inaccurate results. The fact that shoppers who land on a retailer’s site from an AI platform spend more time suggests that users are not merely taking recommendations at face value: Our research indicates that 6 in 10 AI users search for information outside the AI after being recommended a specific product, while roughly one-third ask the AI assistant follow-up questions.

However, higher conversion rates among those same users suggest that ultimately, AI platforms are effective at directing shoppers to relevant products. That utility could help shoppers overcome their lack of trust to become more reliant on AI assistants for purchase decisions.