Consumers Trust AI Shopping Agents More According to Accenture Study

Consumers are demonstrating a growing willingness to allow AI agents to manage shopping-related tasks, according to comprehensive new research from Accenture.

The company's 2026 Consumer Pulse Research, based on a survey of 25,590 consumers across 16 countries, revealed that 74% of respondents would trust a personal AI agent more than their best friend to make a purchase on their behalf.

The report described this as a significant evolution beyond traditional chatbots or search tools. In this context, an AI agent refers to sophisticated software that can act autonomously on a consumer's behalf within predefined permissions. It can shop, negotiate prices, resolve complaints, manage subscriptions, and in certain cases, complete purchases independently.

📊 Consumers Ready to Delegate Shopping Tasks

The survey findings indicate that 74% of consumers would permit an AI agent to handle routine tasks. These include:

• Deal negotiation
• Complaint resolution
• Subscription renewals
• Product reorders

Accenture emphasized that this level of delegation does not mean consumers are ready to surrender every decision. Instead, the findings suggest consumers are more open to delegating parts of shopping that feel repetitive, time-consuming, or low-risk.

The report also discovered that 32% of consumers would ask an AI agent to make a purchase decision on their behalf within defined parameters. These limits could include budget constraints and brand preferences, with additional conditions set by the user.

In such scenarios, the AI agent would select the best available option, but the consumer would still review and approve the purchase before payment. The report categorized this as delegated decision-making, distinct from task execution and autonomous purchasing.

🔒 Autonomy Still Has Clear Boundaries

A smaller segment of consumers is open to AI agents completing purchases without final approval. The report found that only 9% of respondents would allow an agent to initiate and complete purchases within defined boundaries.

The payment stage recorded notably lower openness to autonomous agent decisions. Accenture stated that only 12% of consumers are open to agents making purchase decisions autonomously at the payment stage.

The report identified several critical conditions that affect consumer willingness to delegate more control:

• Data safeguards
• Configurable permissions
• Instant override options
• Clear recourse mechanisms
• Platform reputation
• Perceived neutrality

Consumers demonstrate greater comfort with AI agent autonomy in journey segments where effort is high and emotional stakes are lower. The report highlighted negotiation and post-purchase support as areas where consumers showed greater openness.

According to the research, recurring services ranked highest across stages of delegation, while lifestyle and travel purchases showed a sharper decline as autonomy increased.

The report noted that consumers are more likely to maintain control over choices linked to identity or personal enjoyment. A consumer may delegate routine grocery restocking but still want to personally choose a hotel room, clothing item, or experience.

🏪 Strategic Implications for Brands and Retailers

The report emphasized that AI-assisted shopping requires brands and retailers to make product information clear and machine-readable. If consumers use agents to compare options, pricing, availability, policies, and claims must be easily assessable for AI systems.

AI agents can compare brands using structured attributes and verified claims. They can also evaluate price-to-value ratios and fulfillment records. The report indicated this affects how brands appear across digital channels, including search engines, marketplaces, and social platforms.

The report linked brand switching to factors such as fit, price, availability, and service performance.

Accenture also discovered that consumers are interested in agents that can work across multiple providers. The report stated:

• 61% want an agent that can shop across multiple grocery retailers on their behalf
• 71% want an agent that can plan and book a complete trip across airlines, hotels, and activities

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

The main reasons cited for brand preference were existing knowledge of shopping preferences, trust built through service and support, and access to a broad selection of products and services.

💡 Emerging Roles in AI-Assisted Commerce

The report listed several possible roles for brands and retailers in AI-assisted commerce. Some may build their own proprietary agents, while others may integrate data, inventory, and services into platforms that consumers already use.

The report cited verified information, clear inventory, transparent pricing, and reliable fulfillment data as factors that can help agents evaluate brands more effectively.

Notably, 71% of consumers expect generative AI to influence at least half of their spending decisions over the next 12 months.

The report also found that 63% of consumers want agents to shop for their "idealized self." Examples include helping them make healthier choices or stay within budget. Some respondents also want agents to support more intentional upgrades.

Among active generative AI users, 26% said they had already bought a more expensive item because AI increased their confidence in the decision. The same proportion said AI had led them to increase their basket size.

🏬 Physical Stores Still Matter in the AI Era

The survey also examined how AI could affect physical retail stores. It found that 87% believe AI will affect the role of stores. Another 31% said stores will become more important for creating moments of enjoyment.

The findings demonstrate lower openness to full automation than to routine task delegation. It reveals a more selective pattern, with consumers delegating routine or lower-risk tasks while retaining control over purchases that involve personal preference, risk, or emotional value.

The report concluded that some brand evaluation could take place inside agent-led comparison systems before consumers visit a website, app, or store.

(Photo by Growtika)