AlixPartners Survey Finds Only 10% of Consumers Start Product Discovery With AI

Only 10% of U.S. consumers currently begin product discovery with artificial intelligence, according to an AlixPartners survey of more than 9,000 shoppers published in its 2026 Consumer Sentiment Index. Adoption skews by age and income: 14% of Gen Z and millennial consumers start product searches with AI, and nearly 70% of shoppers earning $150,000 or more consider AI shopping important, versus 53% of those earning under $45,000. AlixPartners expects adoption to rise, particularly for commoditized goods, and predicts a split market — brand-led at the premium end, "spec-and-price driven" at the low end. The firm said structured product data — attributes, availability and price — will determine whether brands surface in AI-driven channels. Target, Best Buy, Macy's and The Home Depot are among retailers launching internal AI assistants.