Study Finds AI Reshaping Commerce Faster Than Retailers Can Adapt

The “Global Digital Shopping Index: The AI-Powered Shopper Has Arrived” shows that retail is moving into a new phase. Consumers are no longer just shopping online or using their phones to check prices. They are using mobile devices across the full shopping journey, from product research to checkout, and they are beginning to use AI as a shopping tool. That shift is changing what consumers expect from merchants and how merchants need to approach discovery, payments and the customer experience.

The report finds that consumers now average 55 digital shopping days per month, up from 51 in 2024. That means shoppers are browsing, buying, comparing, checking inventory and using digital tools nearly every day. The most active digital shoppers also buy far more often. Consumers who digital window shop more than once a week buy about three times more often across remote shopping, pickup and digitally-assisted in-store shopping.

AI is also becoming part of mainstream shopping. Nearly half of online shoppers used AI during their latest purchase journey. ChatGPT has quickly become a major product research tool, with usage rising from 2% to 30% in two years. Consumers are also looking ahead: 64% expect to use AI shopping agents within two years, especially for tasks such as comparing products, managing loyalty programs and handling returns.

The report also shows a widening gap between what shoppers want and what many merchants offer. Consumers want features that make shopping easier and more reliable, including price matching, mobile product locators, digital coupons and preferred payment options. Yet merchants are slowing their investments in digital features at the same time that shoppers are raising expectations. The risk is especially high with millennials, parents and high-income consumers, who are among the most active and valuable digital shoppers.

Download the Index Global Digital Shopping Index: The AI-Powered Shopper Has Arrived

In “Global Digital Shopping Index: The AI-Powered Shopper Has Arrived,” learn how:

AI is moving from product search to purchase support. Consumers are comfortable letting AI compare products and manage routine tasks, but trust falls when AI gets closer to payment authority.

Mobile is reshaping the in-store experience. Shoppers increasingly use phones inside stores to check reviews, find products, confirm stock, and decide how to pay.

Payment choice influences where consumers shop. Two-thirds of consumers say knowing their preferred payment method is accepted affects their choice of merchant, and tap-to-pay adoption continues to grow globally.

About the Index

The Global Digital Shopping Index series, a PYMNTS Intelligence and Visa Acceptance Solutions collaboration, examines how consumer shopping behaviors, mobile usage, and AI adoption are reshaping retail across physical and digital channels. It draws on a survey of 5,841 consumers and 1,185 merchants across three countries (the United States, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates) fielded in March 2026. Country samples are weighted to reflect the national adult population.

This edition compares results against three prior survey rounds in January of 2022, 2023, and 2024 to track how shopper and merchant behaviors have evolved over four years.