Survey Finds 76% of U.S. Shoppers Used AI to Buy in Past Year Despite Trust Gap

Most U.S. shoppers have used artificial intelligence to make purchases even as trust in AI recommendations remains low, according to a SmartCustomer survey of nearly 1,200 U.S. consumers released Monday. The survey found 76% of respondents used AI to make purchases in the past year, while 89% said they do not fully trust AI recommendations. One-third reported a regrettable AI-driven purchase; electronics accounted for half of those, with apparel and footwear at 45%. Nearly all respondents (98%) said AI companies should bear at least some responsibility for validating recommendation sources and confirming a company's legitimacy. More than half (53%) suspect companies of releasing false or misleading information to influence AI recommendations. Adoption skews by gender and generation: 63% of men use AI to shop at least sometimes versus 53% of women, while 21% of Gen Z shoppers said they will never use AI to shop.