Pros and Cons of Shopping with AI Agents
AI is supposed to take care of our shopping efficiently and rationally. But trust cannot be programmed. Verena Gründel comments on why shopping needs more than algorithms.
AI agents promise a major shopping upgrade: no more tedious product searches, price comparisons, or wrong decisions. Instead, they are supposed to make the best purchasing decisions based on our preferences, budget, and needs.
That sounds fantastic at first.
Especially when you consider how uninspiring online shopping often is. I like shopping when it’s fun, inspiring, and I can discover new things. Whether it’s clothes or groceries. Unfortunately, shopping online is rarely fun because most shops and marketplaces are optimized for performance and conversion rather than inspiration and emotion.
It’s my money and my preferences
And now AI is supposed to take over. But to be honest, I’m skeptical. Because I simply like to make my own decisions. Purchasing decisions are important decisions that I don’t want to give to a black box. After all, it’s my money and my preferences.
We have all learned that 70 percent of our purchasing decisions are emotionally driven. Can an algorithm really take over these emotional decisions? I don’t know.
According to a recent study by Kantar, many people feel the same way: only 30 percent of consumers worldwide would trust AI to shop for them. Even for supposedly simple tasks such as product recommendations or price comparisons, trust rarely exceeds 60 percent.
But yet, those who dare to do so are surprisingly satisfied. According to Optimizely, 29 percent have already made a purchase decision based solely on an AI recommendation. 87 percent of them say that the AI made the right choice.
We see a trust gap
The study does not say which products are involved or whether a preselection has already been made. Perhaps it is precisely the 30 per cent of purchasing decisions that are made according to rational criteria anyway.
At the very least, it is clear that there is still an enormous trust gap. And that trust in AI is currently declining rather than increasing.
AI development is very technically driven. However, I don’t believe that trust is mainly created through function. Trust is created through attitude, transparency, and emotional connectivity. People want to be understood and emotionally engaged.
And that, too, is often short in commerce today. Many product descriptions are still designed for search algorithms – not people. And now AI is coming along and taking conversion orientation to the extreme.
Marketers are working on the paradigm shift
If we want consumers to trust AI, they must first trust the brands behind it. It’s no longer just about the product. It’s about every touchpoint, every technology, every algorithm in the customer journey.
According to ANA and Harris Poll, many US marketers are already working to prepare for this paradigm shift. 71% want to establish ethical and data protection standards for AI-based recommendations. The most common answer to the question of what US marketers would do to prepare for the future with AI agents.
Maybe I’ll let myself be surprised by AI shopping algorithms after all. At least when it comes to business travel planning and booking, I’d be willing to give it a try.
