Consumers use AI to shop, but trust is a sticking point

"AI is compressing the shopping journey, which raises the bar for trust. Brands have to be consistent and specific across every surface that shoppers (and AI tools) pull from, or they'll be misunderstood."

"Today, a browser starts shopping with a prompt like: “I have sensitive, breakout-prone skin. I want something lightweight that won't pill under SPF or makeup. What should I buy?” The model responds with a product short list, along with trade-offs and problems, such as common irritants, texture issues, and how it will wear throughout the day."

"Our survey found that consumers use AI to narrow options and save time, yet: 76% are concerned about how AI chatbots use their data, 60% do not trust chatbots with payment information, 63% worry about scams."

"Because adoption isn't the hard part, but trust is. That shift is raising the bar for trust, because AI will summarize whatever signals it can find, including your product claims, policies, and reputation."

49% of consumers used AI to shop in 2025, and 64% plan to use it in 2026, with nearly 25% expecting it to become their default shopping method. AI shopping compresses the journey by letting shoppers ask questions, receive summaries, compare tradeoffs, and decide faster, often without clicking through sources. This increases the trust bar because AI can summarize product claims, policies, and reputation from whatever signals it finds. Consumers use AI to narrow options and save time, but 76% are concerned about how chatbots use their data, 60% do not trust chatbots with payment information, and 63% worry about scams. Brands must design for this tension by ensuring consistent, specific information across every surface AI tools use.

Read at Fast Company