AI Shopping Tools Are Becoming A Popular Way To Discover Products: McKinsey Survey Finds 56% Of Consumers Have Used Them
Last Updated: 2026-11-02 16:38:59
Artificial intelligence is gradually changing how consumers search for products and make purchasing decisions, with standalone AI chatbots and search tools emerging as an alternative to conventional shopping searches.
A new McKinsey survey indicates that more than half of consumers across the markets studied have already used standalone AI chat or search tools while shopping. The findings highlight how conversational AI is becoming part of the product discovery process, potentially changing the way consumers interact with online retailers and brands.
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According to the McKinsey Agentic Commerce Consumer Survey, 56% of consumers surveyed had used standalone AI chat or search tools for shopping during the previous three months. In comparison, 27% had used AI shopping assistants operated directly by retailers.
The difference suggests that consumers are currently more comfortable turning to general-purpose AI platforms than relying exclusively on AI assistants built into individual shopping websites.
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Standalone tools can help users explore products, compare specifications, understand differences between competing models and identify options based on their requirements. For example, someone planning to purchase a smartphone could ask an AI assistant to compare camera performance, battery capacity, software support and pricing across multiple devices.
This approach can reduce the need to visit several websites and manually collect information before making a decision.
The trend is particularly relevant to India, where AI-powered shopping adoption is already relatively high. McKinsey’s survey found that 76% of Indian consumers use AI tools for shopping, placing the country second among the 11 markets surveyed, behind China at 80%.
The report also found that 87% of Indian users expressed confidence in AI-powered chat and search tools, compared with the global average of 73%.
For online retailers, the growing preference for standalone AI platforms could create a new challenge. Traditionally, businesses have focused on improving their visibility through search engine optimisation, marketplace rankings, product advertisements and recommendations within shopping applications.
However, if consumers increasingly depend on AI assistants to shortlist products, brands may also have to ensure that their product information is accurate, accessible and easy for AI systems to interpret.
This could influence how companies present specifications, prices, availability, customer reviews and other product details online.
The shift could also affect traditional search engines and e-commerce marketplaces. Instead of beginning their shopping journey with a list of search results, consumers may increasingly start with a conversation describing what they need, how much they want to spend and which features matter most.
However, AI-assisted shopping still has limitations. Consumers need to verify product specifications, availability and prices before purchasing, particularly because AI-generated recommendations may contain outdated or inaccurate information.
The McKinsey findings indicate that AI is becoming an important part of the shopping journey. As these tools improve, the competition between traditional search, retailer-operated assistants and standalone AI platforms could become more intense.