Only 10% of consumers currently start product discovery with AI. 14% of Gen Z and millennials do. 70% of consumers earning $150,000 or more consider AI important for shopping. Only 53% of those earning under $45,000 do. AlixPartners surveyed over 9,000 U.S. consumers. Most consumers are not ready to let AI agents make purchases. AI adoption is predicted to rise, especially for commoditized goods. High-end retail will remain brand-led while lower-end becomes spec-and-price driven. Upper-income shoppers may use AI as a concierge for styling. Others may use it for price comparison and decision-making. Retailers are advised to improve product metadata for AI discovery. Poor metadata risks products being invisible or misrepresented by AI agents. Large retailers like Target and Best Buy are launching their own AI assistants. The figures come from AlixPartners’ 2026 Consumer Sentiment Index.

• 10% of consumers start product discovery with AI
• 14% of Gen Z and millennials use AI for product search
• 70% of $150K+ earners consider AI important for shopping
• 53% of under $45K earners consider AI important for shopping