A striking 63% of consumers expressed a desire for AI agents to assist them in achieving their idealised selves through shopping. This finding comes from Accenture’s Consumer Pulse Research 2026, which surveyed over 25,000 individuals across 16 countries. The study reveals a clear trend: consumers are not only willing to use AI for shopping tasks, but they also increasingly trust these agents to guide their purchasing decisions.
Among active generative AI users, 26% reported buying more expensive items after AI boosted their confidence in their choices. This behaviour indicates a growing reliance on AI, with 74% of consumers stating they would trust a personal AI agent more than a close friend when making purchases on their behalf. As AI technology continues to advance, its influence on consumer behaviour is becoming more evident, with 71% of respondents expecting generative AI to affect at least half of their spending decisions in the coming year.
The Accenture report shows that 85% of consumers are eager to collaborate with AI agents to find the best products. A notable 74% are willing to delegate routine tasks like negotiating deals, managing subscriptions, and handling returns to AI. However, when it comes to more personal matters, such as those connected to identity and relationships, consumers are more reserved. Only 32% are comfortable with AI making purchasing decisions based on their preferences, while just 9% would allow AI to execute purchases autonomously within set limits.
This cautious approach highlights a broader trend: while consumers are open to using AI for routine transactions, they want to retain control over decisions that carry personal significance. Recurring services like insurance and telecommunications rank highest for AI delegation, indicating that consumers prefer to trust AI with straightforward, transactional tasks rather than those requiring a nuanced understanding of personal values.
As AI agents gain traction in retail, they are expected to reveal weaknesses in brand offerings, such as inflated pricing or discrepancies between promises and actual product performance. This shift urges brands and retailers to improve the transparency of their product claims, pricing structures, and policies. Making these elements more structured and machine-readable will be essential as AI plays a larger role in consumer decision-making.
The findings from Accenture's study reflect a significant evolution in consumer attitudes toward AI in shopping. As trust in AI agents grows, so does the expectation that they will shape the future of consumer spending. Brands that adapt to these changes by ensuring clarity and verifiability in their offerings may find themselves better positioned to succeed in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace.
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