Almost half of UK consumers would trust AI to shop for them, survey suggests

Almost half of UK consumers would trust AI to shop on their behalf – including paying for the items, a survey suggests.

The adoption of AI assistants by shoppers has more than doubled over the last year from 12% to 28% across all age groups, according to the annual Retail Report by financial technology platform Adyen.

The growth is being fuelled by a wave of new adopters, with more than 18% of 16 to 27-year-olds and 15% of 28 to 43-year-olds using AI for shopping for the first time in the last 12 months.

Almost half of those aged 28 to 43 (49%) are now open to letting AI handle the entire shopping journey on their behalf, the study found.

Some 84% of retailers are open to enabling AI to complete purchases on the shopper’s behalf, with 49% prioritising the technology for the year ahead.

When asked what was most important for them to trust AI with the final purchase, 34% of shoppers mentioned knowing who was responsible – whether that be the AI provider, the retailer or the consumer themselves – if the wrong item was bought.

Almost one third (32%) wanted the control to review and cancel the purchase after selection.

Some 32% cited security of payment information and data privacy as a top priority.

Among those using AI assistants when shopping, over half (53%) said it saved them time, and 51% agreed it helped cut through “online noise”.

Nicole Olbe, managing director at Adyen UK, said: “Customers are moving past the ‘browsing’ phase of AI and starting to move towards the ‘buying’ phase.

“Almost half of UK shoppers are ready for AI that not only suggests products but actually completes the purchase.

“This shift will fundamentally change the checkout experience, and retailers must prioritise the underlying payment infrastructure to support both the security and the scale required.”

Carlo Bruno, vice president of product at Adyen, said: “While nearly half of retailers say they’re prioritising this technology, many fear losing that personal connection with the customer.

“The way forward is to make sure AI is a powerful additional channel that offers shoppers a new way to transact, while ensuring the retailer remains in control of the customer relationship and data.

“The biggest hurdle isn’t the technology, it’s the relationship.”

Censuswide surveyed 2,000 UK adults and 500 retailers between November 21 and December 3.