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Dive Brief:
Many consumers are interested in AI shopping tools ahead of the holiday season, with about 7 in 10 saying they are open to using generative AI guidance, according to a survey released this month by Coveo. More than one-third say they have already used it.
Respondents’ top use cases for generative AI tools are comparing products, getting budget-based recommendations, and learning more about what they’re buying, according to the survey of 6,000 people across the the U.S., the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.
When customers start shopping for a product or gift, nearly one-third start with a search engine and nearly one-quarter look to Amazon or another marketplace, according to the Coveo study. In comparison, only 3% start with an AI assistant-powered search like ChatGPT.
Dive Insight:
While consumers express curiosity about generative AI shopping tools, traditional product discovery methods are still the norm.
People are still turning to human-curated sources for recommendations, particularly when it comes to choosing gifts, according to Terra Higginson, a principal research director at Info-Tech Research Group.
“We see that people still rely on curated lists (think Wirecutter) and micro-influencers when it comes to gift-buying decisions,” Higginson said in an email. “The ability to create a connected, valuable, curated and easy journey is still lacking across AI.”
Younger consumers are more likely to be early adopters of AI. Among Gen Z and millennials, 8 in 10 say they’re at least curious about trying a generative AI shopping assistant. Additionally, about 9 in 10 consumers who have used generative AI for product guidance while shopping say they’re at least curious about using it again.
Most AI assistants currently deliver an underwhelming experience in terms of value, according to Higginson. However, she is looking forward to companies putting together AI workflows with the right tech stack to meet consumer expectations.
“If these AI tools want to become more than just shiny widgets, they need to go beyond being tools for content digestion and generation,” Higginson said. “In order to deliver consumers a valuable experience, they must understand previous purchases, preferences, trends and shopping habits to help them move confidently toward a decision.”