AI is becoming part of shopping long before customers reach the checkout page.
1. Product Research Is Moving to Chatbots
Instead of opening several search results, shoppers can ask an AI assistant to compare products, explain differences, or narrow down choices.
A 2026 NIQ study found 42% of consumers had used an AI tool for shopping within the previous month.
2. AI Is Replacing Some Search
The shopping journey is increasingly starting with a conversation rather than a traditional search box.
Deloitte found 23% of consumers were already using generative AI for product discovery while shopping in early 2026.
3. Shoppers Are Using AI to Find Deals
AI can compare prices, identify promotions, and help shoppers decide whether a product is worth considering.
Research from IBM and the National Retail Federation found 31% of consumers use AI assistants to search for deals.
4. Reviews Are Getting Summarized
Instead of reading hundreds of customer reviews individually, shoppers can ask AI to identify the most common complaints and positive comments.
That can dramatically shorten the research process.
5. People Still Don’t Fully Trust AI
The biggest change may be that AI is becoming a shopping assistant rather than the final decision-maker.
Gartner found only 11% of U.S. consumers were willing to let AI make purchase decisions for them.
6. Retailers Are Trying to Adapt
Stores now have a new challenge: making sure their products appear when shoppers ask AI what to buy.
NIQ says product discovery is increasingly moving from traditional search toward AI-mediated recommendations, potentially changing which brands consumers even see.
