AI isn’t just changing commerce — it’s driving the next wave of growth. As digital shopping is redefined by intelligent assistance, consumers are fundamentally changing how they research, compare, and buy. Nearly 40% of U.S. shoppers now use AI when shopping, and this holiday season alone, AI is expected to influence more than $260 billion in global e-commerce.
To understand this transformation, IAB partnered with Talk Shoppe to release a first-of-its-kind study — When AI Guides the Shopping Journey: Opportunities for Marketers in the Age of AI Driven Commerce. Through 450+ digital ethnographies and a survey of 600 U.S. consumers, the research explores how shoppers use AI alongside other online services and where brands fit into the new path to purchase.
What We Found
AI is turning shopping into a dynamic, multi-step process that both simplifies and expands decision-making. It cuts through clutter, narrows choices, and builds confidence — but also creates new, high-intent moments as consumers validate results and seek reassurance.
For marketers, this means fresh opportunities to build trust and influence at the moments that matter most.
Key Takeaways
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- AI is now an essential tool in the consumer journey
- AI is most effective providing clarity mid-journey where complexity peaks
- Shoppers frequently run into friction with AI, eroding trust
- AI doesn’t shorten the path to purchase — it reshapes it, creating new steps and opportunities
Download the full study to see how AI is redefining the shopping experience and what this means for marketers.
Join our webinar TODAY from 1-2pm ET featuring experts from Koddi, Microsoft, and Stingray, who will explore findings from this first-of-its-kind research study.
