Consumer use of Agentic AI shopping assistants lags interest
There is a significant gap between consumer acceptance and adoption of Agentic AI in e-commerce.
While nearly six-in-10 (58%) consumers say they are open to placing orders through an AI assistant, but only 6% have actually done so. Two consumer surveys conducted by third-party logistics provider Radial also indicate many respondents want to limit actions agentic AI shopping bots can take:
- 53% would require approval before any purchase goes through.
- 46% would only feel comfortable with strong privacy protections.
- 42% expect to have the option to speak with a human representative if issues arise.
- 41% would require two-factor authentication for every transaction
- 39% would need the ability to review or cancel purchases without penalty.
- 34% would allow an AI assistant to take actions only if they approve each one.
- 23% want AI to make suggestions only.
- 21% do not want AI acting on their behalf at all.
- 19% would not trust AI with payment information.
Looking at current usage trends, only 5% of respondents begin their shopping journey directly with AI tools, compared to 34% who start with search engines and 32% who do so with marketplaces.
[READ MORE: Agentic AI may drive up to half of all online transactions by 2027]
However, 47% of respondents say they would use AI to find the best price for a product, far outpacing other use cases like choosing a replacement when something is out of stock (12%).
Radial also examined reasons respondents would use agentic AI shopping assistants:
- 54% are likely to use AI for monitored delivery and problem-solving.
- 44% would like to use AI to find faster delivery options.
- 36% are interested in AI assistants that work directly with stores or delivery systems to track orders and resolve issues.
- 35% would like agentic AI to recommend return-friendly items.
“AI may change how consumers shop, but fulfillment is what makes that promise real," said Tom Schmitt, CEO of Radial. "Retailers that invest in flexible, scalable fulfillment networks will be best positioned to support AI-driven commerce without compromising reliability."
Two surveys were commissioned by Radial and conducted by Dynata, the world's largest first-party data company. They were conducted in December 2025 and January 2026 of 1,000 U.S. consumers 18 years and older for each survey.
