AI

Gen AI reshaping shopping behavior

Generated by AI/Adobe Stock

February 20, 2026

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Gen AI has moved from experimentation to habit formation when it comes to consumer shopping behavior.

Awareness of AI platforms exceeds 80% across Gen Z, millennials and Gen X, with nearly 70% using Gen AI regularly.

Those are top findings from a report by Cimulate, "The Concierge Economy: Understanding AI's True Role in The Shopping Experience," conducted in partnership with Future Commerce.

Based on two separate surveys of 1,000 U.S. consumers each, the report examines how Gen AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini are changing where shopping begins, how decisions are formed and what consumers now expect from brands and retailers once intent is established, according to a press release.

Cimulate is a AI-native commerce platform.

Additional findings include:

While 49% of consumers planned to consult AI first when shopping, actual behavior surpassed expectations with 80% of AI users reportedly asking AI first when researching holiday gifts.
Deal-hunting fatigue is accelerating AI adoption.
Expectations are rising once consumers shop with AI.
Physical retail discovery is disproportionately impacted as AI effects store visits more than branded e-commerce.