New research shows that consumers are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools to conduct their product research.

Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

An October PYMNTS Intelligence report titled “From Prompt to Purchase: Who Wins the AI Shopper?” argues that this shift has created a major commercial opportunity for merchants to win over first-time shoppers long before those consumers ever visit traditional search bars.

According to that report, nearly 61 million U.S. consumers now begin their online retail research with AI assistants. Based on an August 2026 survey of 2,191 American adults, the study examines how generative AI tools can shape the modern shopping journey from initial discovery to checkout.

Please add us to your preferred sources list so our news, data and interviews show up in your feed. Thanks!

“A consumer who welcomes AI’s advice can keep control of checkout, return to a trusted marketplace or delegate the purchase,” the report said.

“The central finding is that AI is displacing established research habits faster than it is displacing established buying relationships. Advertising and product visibility face a different competitive challenge from the accounts, saved cards and delivery services that help secure the sale.”

While overall AI adoption holds steady across personal tasks, shoppers increasingly rely on conversational assistants to narrow down product choices, compare technical features and evaluate prices.

The research shows that average quarterly spending among AI-assisted shoppers jumped 17% to $1,039 in August, demonstrating that consumers aren’t just testing these conversational tools for fun, but using them to spend real money.

Source link