The news: GenAI is becoming a meaningful shopping touchpoint, not just an experimental technology.

• Shopping-related genAI use grew 35% between February 2025 and November 2025, per Boston Consulting Group, showing rapid adoption in how people shop.
• More than 60% of US consumers who have recently used AI in a purchase journey express high trust in genAI results when it comes to shopping guidance.

However, IAB data from October found that only 46% of shoppers fully trust AI recommendations today, and 89% still check the information before buying.

Digging into the data: GenAI usage spans routine items like groceries to big-ticket purchases like laptops and flights.

• 6 in 10 global consumers who have used genAI have prompted it to guide purchasing consumer electronics.
• About half have used it for travel (51%), apparel (43%), or entertainment (43%).

The challenge lies in trust. Consumer reaction to AI entirely controlling the checkout process remains lukewarm compared with rising use for discovery, research, and information.

• AI is becoming accepted as a reliable copilot, rather than the fully autonomous agent that companies like OpenAI, Amazon, and Perplexity are working on.
• Lags in that transition could lie in public opinion rather than technological advancement, though product data silos are slowing agents’ capabilities.

Looking ahead: Use of AI for researching brands and products or looking for recommendations is the third-most-popular use of the technology, behind at-work use and general information queries.

The technology is no longer confined to early-stage product discovery—it’s shaping how consumers compare options, narrow choices, and make decisions. As trust grows, AI tools are becoming a parallel path to purchase, sitting alongside search engines and social platforms.

Brands should identify where AI is being introduced on their consumers’ path to purchase—including initial brand awareness or last-minute product spec comparisons—and structure content so that genAI can return relevant outputs.

Recommendations for marketers: To integrate smoothly into the AI discovery journey, focus on generative engine optimization (GEO) to stay visible in the AI user’s path to purchase.

• Maintain a consistent brand voice and presentation across channels—including earned, shared, and owned (ESO) media—so AI systems surface coherent messaging.
• Offer clear product information and indexable website descriptions that AI engines can pick up and quickly read.
• Frequently update web content to maximize appearances in AI results.