Half (50%) of shoppers who have tried generative AI (GenAI) on retail sites say it’s always or often helpful, with one in five (19%) saying they would trust AI over their partner to pick out a gift, according to research from Constructor and Shopify.

These findings come from the third annual State of Ecommerce report, which includes data from more than 1,500 consumers in the U.S., UK, and Germany, and explores how shoppers discover products and decide what to buy.

AI in ecommerce: From hype to habit

The data highlights the pervasiveness of AI tools, along with shoppers’ increasing comfort levels when using the technology.

Nearly two-thirds of shoppers (64%) have used GenAI tools, like ChatGPT, in their daily lives – up from 51% last year and 29% in 2023. 58% say they would be very or somewhat comfortable using GenAI and other conversational AI tools on a retail website – rising from 52% in 2024 and 42% in 2023.

AI agents step in

When they arrive at a retail website, 77% of shoppers say they often or sometimes are unsure what to buy. In these moments, 60% say they would be willing to let an AI shopping assistant guide them.

38% say they have tried Agentic shopping tools like Amazon’s Rufus. Among those who have used GenAI or AI agent features on ecommerce sites, half (50%) say the experiences are always or often helpful, with 86% noting they’re helpful at least some of the time.

“AI has quickly become a natural part of everyday shopping. That creates both opportunities and urgency for retailers. As shoppers grow more comfortable and willing to engage with AI, it’s on retailers to earn their trust – by delivering experiences that aren’t just flashy. They need to be genuinely helpful, engaging and valuable.”

Eli Finkelshteyn, CEO, Constructor 

Trusting AI with taste

As shoppers grow more familiar with AI tools, they’re also starting to hand it a bigger challenge: knowing their tastes. More than a quarter of shoppers (26%) say an algorithm that’s seen their browsing and purchase history is likely to get their taste right – higher than the share who trust an influencer (18%), though still behind a close friend (46%).

Nearly one in five shoppers (19%) trust an AI agent more than their partner to pick out a gift for them, increasing to 25% of Gen Z respondents.

Product discovery point of origin

Google still leads the way, with 84% of all shoppers typically beginning their searches on the platform. 63% of shoppers often begin their journey on Amazon, with notable regional differences (75% US, 63% Germany, 53% UK).

25% of shoppers say they usually begin their product searches on TikTok, including 46% of Gen Z and 31% of millennials. 13% of shoppers frequently use large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to start a search, with the strongest uptake among millennials (18%) and Gen Z (16%).

“Commerce has never been more dynamic – customers jump between channels, discover products everywhere, and expect experiences that just work,” said Dale Traxler, Director of Technology Partnerships, Shopify. “What merchants need now is the power to be wherever their customers are, with experiences that feel seamless and authentic at every touchpoint.”