The next customer through your door might arrive with more than a few screenshots. They could be carrying an artificial intelligence-generated shortlist, price comparison, and fresh set of questions.
A February 2026 Harris Poll survey of 2,180 U.S. adults found that 36% had tried or currently use AI-powered shopping tools. The strongest attractions were practical rather than futuristic, according to research presented by Quad:
66%
Think help spotting pricing inconsistencies
across retailers is appealing
60%
Like the idea of AI helping them stay on budget
60%
Want help narrowing their choices more quickly
There’s another number from the research that retailers shouldn’t overlook: 45% of respondents said they trusted an AI agent to make a better product recommendation than an in-store associate. That rose to 54% of Gen Zers and 60% of millennials. In addition, 39% said they use AI in stores for real-time assistance.
But before anyone hands over the showroom keys to a chatbot, the survey also revealed some powerful advantages for physical retail:
63%
Experience less decision fatigue in a store than online
70%
Say shopping in a store feels like a social activity, even when they shop alone
81%
Say it’s easier for brands to misrepresent product quality online than in a store
71%
Say personalized online pricing makes them want to shop in stores, where everyone pays the same price
What the numbers say
Retail sales associates don’t need to try to compete with AI on the sheer quantity of information it can produce. The better opportunity is to do what AI can’t: ask revealing follow-up questions, explain meaningful trade-offs between product levels, correct questionable online information, let shoppers experience products, and make a complicated decision feel manageable.
AI might help shoppers create the list. A strong store experience can help them decide what really belongs on it.
