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Artificial intelligence-powered search tools are becoming a stronger influence on consumer buying decisions than traditional search engines, with nearly one-third of AI shoppers identifying them as the biggest factor behind their most recent purchase, according to a report by McKinsey.
Globally, AI users are 3.2 times more likely to rank AI search tools as more influential than traditional search engines, and 2.6 times more likely to rank them higher than other strong influences, like friends or family, the report said. Around 29 per cent of AI shoppers said these tools were the single biggest influence on their most recent purchase, ahead of retailer platforms, review websites, search engines and recommendations from friends and family. The findings further point to a shift in how consumers discover and evaluate products, with AI increasingly shaping the choices they make rather than simply helping them find information. McKinsey's survey, conducted in June 2026, covered around 21,000 consumers across 11 markets. It found that 56 per cent of consumers had used standalone AI chat or search tools for shopping in the previous three months, compared with 27 per cent who had used AI shopping assistants operated by retailers. Standalone AI platforms were more widely used for product discovery, comparisons and recommendations. However, retailer-operated assistants had a slight advantage at checkout, with 15 per cent of AI users relying on them to complete or assist with a purchase, against 14 per cent using standalone AI tools. The report attributed this advantage to retailers' existing infrastructure for live inventory, payments and delivery. Consumers are also increasingly willing to let AI complete purchases. Between 21 and 30 per cent of AI users across the six leading purchase categories said they would allow an AI tool to complete a transaction, around 1.5 times the share that had actually done so. Globally, 14 per cent of AI users said they had used an AI tool to complete a purchase, equivalent to 9 per cent of the general population. The report found that 81 per cent of AI shoppers said these tools helped narrow down and filter choices, while 80 per cent valued reduced scrolling and clicking and 79 per cent said AI saved significant time. "Consumers are essentially delegating more of the research and evaluation work to AI agents," the report said. McKinsey said retailers would need to improve product information, pricing, inventory availability and delivery data to remain visible and competitive as AI-led shopping expands. It also stressed the importance of protecting customer information and strengthening retailers' own AI capabilities to capture purchases at the checkout stage. "Consumers are clear they want to do more with AI. The question for retailers and brands is whether they are ready to capture that demand," the report said. (ANI)
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