Accenture AI shopping agents win consumer trust in new study

Accenture AI shopping agents earn consumer trust

Accenture AI shopping agents are winning consumers' trust, and a significant majority now say they're willing to hand over purchasing and post-purchase tasks to these intelligent assistants. But the shift is real. New research from Accenture reveals a notable change in consumer behavior, moving past simple chatbots and search tools toward a more integrated role for AI in daily commerce, so it's clear we've entered a new era.

The Delegation Mandate

A comprehensive survey polled 25,590 consumers across 16 countries. It revealed that a substantial 74% of respondents would trust a personal AI agent more than their closest friend to make a purchase on their behalf, which highlights a burgeoning comfort level with AI acting autonomously within set parameters. But these AI agents are envisioned as software that can shop, negotiate prices, handle customer service complaints, manage subscriptions, and execute purchases. They're all under the user's defined permissions.

Consumers are ready. They’ll delegate routine shopping tasks like negotiating deals, resolving purchase issues, renewing subscriptions, and reordering products, according to research showing 74% are prepared to trust AI agents with these time-consuming chores. But it’s not a complete handover. Accenture stresses this delegation doesn’t mean giving up all control, pointing instead to consumers’ openness to offloading repetitive, low-risk parts of the shopping experience they find time-intensive.

Delegated Decision-Making and Its Limits

It's about more than just tasks. But 32% of individuals would permit that. A notable segment of consumers is actually willing to let AI agents make purchasing decisions for them, as long as those agents operate within clear boundaries defined by the user, such as specific budgets and brand preferences along with other user-defined conditions the consumer sets. So the AI would identify the best option, and the consumer still gets to review and approve the transaction before any payment is finalized. Accenture calls this "delegated decision-making," and it's distinct from simple task completion or fully autonomous buying.

Trust is growing, but full autonomy at the payment stage remains a more sensitive area for consumers. It's a tough sell. Only 9% of respondents indicated they would allow an AI agent to initiate and complete purchases without requiring final approval, and the payment process itself saw even lower openness to AI autonomy, with just 12% of consumers comfortable with agents making purchase decisions independently at this critical juncture.

Building Blocks of AI Trust

Trust is everything. Several key factors influence consumers' willingness to grant AI agents more control, including strong data protections, easy-to-adjust user settings, and quick override options that research has shown are critical to building confidence. But clear ways to get help, a solid platform reputation, and the belief that the AI agent is neutral also help build trust. It's a delicate balance.

Consumers appear more at ease with AI agent autonomy in areas of the shopping journey where the effort required is high but the emotional stakes are lower. That's a key finding. Negotiation and post-purchase support emerged as areas where consumers demonstrated a greater willingness to cede control. But the report noted that consumers tend to keep direct control over purchases tied to personal identity, enjoyment, or strong personal taste. So consider this: a consumer might happily delegate routine grocery restocking to an AI, yet they'd likely prefer to personally select their hotel room, clothing items, or entertainment experiences.

• Recurring services ranked highest across stages of delegation.
• Lifestyle and travel purchases showed a sharper drop in consumer openness as AI autonomy increased.
• Consumers are more likely to keep control over choices linked to identity or personal enjoyment.

Implications for Brands and Retailers

AI-assisted shopping is changing everything. It's a total shift. Brands must fundamentally change how they present their products and services, ensuring product information stays clear, organized, and easily machine-readable for AI agents. But details like pricing, availability, company policies, and product claims must be readily accessible and interpretable by these systems. Accenture suggests AI agents can compare brands based on structured attributes, verified claims, price-to-value ratios, and fulfillment records. That's a powerful idea. It's a capability that will reshape brand perception and performance across search engines, marketplaces, and social media.

56% of all consumers would specify preferred brands to their AI agent. That's a big number. But among those with strong behavioral loyalty, 37% said they'd let the AI switch brands if it found a better option based on product fit, price, availability, and service quality. It's influenced by several factors.

"Brands and retailers need product data, pricing, availability, policies, and claims to be readable by the systems agents use to evaluate options."

Accenture found that consumers want AI agents that work across multiple providers. 61% said they'd want an agent to shop for groceries from different stores. And 71% want an agent that can plan and book complete travel trips, handling flights, hotels, and activities. It's a big shift. The report highlights that factors like existing knowledge of a consumer's shopping preferences, trust built through positive service and support experiences, and access to a wide array of products and services are key differentiators for brands that agents can easily evaluate.

AI-assisted commerce offers brands a few strategic paths. Some will build their own proprietary AI agents. Others might focus on integrating product data, inventory, and services into platforms that consumers already use widely. Verified information, transparent inventory management, clear pricing, and reliable fulfillment data help AI agents assess and recommend brands effectively. 71% of consumers think generative AI will shape at least half of their spending in the next twelve months. And 63% want AI agents to turn them into an "idealized self," making healthier choices or sticking to budgets. It's a big shift. 26% of active generative AI users say they've bought a more expensive item because AI boosted their confidence, and the same proportion report AI led them to increase their overall basket size.

The Enduring Role of Physical Stores

Physical stores aren't disappearing. Despite the surge in digital delegation, the survey found that 87% of consumers think AI will change how stores work, yet a considerable 31% predict stores will become more important for creating engaging and enjoyable experiences. So consumers are selective. They're more willing to automate routine or low-risk tasks but keep personal control over purchases involving personal taste, higher risk, or strong emotional value. And some brand evaluations may even occur within AI agent-led comparison systems before consumers engage directly with a website, app, or brick-and-mortar store.