"The consumer landscape of 2026 is defined by a shift in perceived value, moving beyond simple "value for money" to prioritizing "value through intelligence." Today, consumers favor brands that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver transparency, confidence, and highly personalized assistance. Crucially, they also continue to demand that complex needs be managed with a critical human touch, according to Capgemini's research " What matters to consumers in 2026.""
"The way consumers make decisions is being fundamentally changed by AI-powered shopping experiences, a greater demand for fairness and transparency, and the importance of human connection at crucial stages. In this new landscape of empowered consumers, AI's increasing role in daily choices is causing shoppers to redefine what they accept, value, and are willing to pay for. Expectations have become more demanding, tolerance for shortcomings has decreased, and the concept of value now encompasses more than just price."
73% of consumers have used AI chatbots to search for products and services, while 71% are worried about how generative AI uses their information and only 57% are satisfied with their chatbot experience. Consumer perceived value is shifting from simple value-for-money toward value-through-intelligence, emphasizing transparency, confidence, and highly personalized assistance. Consumers expect AI to actively participate in daily decision-making through agent-driven commerce and AI-powered shopping, yet they still demand human involvement for complex needs. Demand for fairness, transparency, and emotional connection is increasing, raising expectations and reducing tolerance for shortcomings.
Read at ZDNET
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