The situation: AI is becoming a bigger part of the online shopping experience, with 61% of US consumers using general-purpose AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to assist with shopping, per a Bloomreach survey conducted by Propeller Insights.
- Consumers are also increasingly familiar with AI assistants designed specifically for shopping, such as Amazon’s Rufus genAI chatbot. Two in 3 (66%) respondents are at least somewhat aware of these tools, and 57% have used one in the past six to nine months.
- Rufus, which Amazon first rolled out in March 2024, appears to have played a major role in raising consumer awareness of the technology—42% of respondents said they only became familiar with AI shopping assistants within the last year.
The opportunity: Consumers want AI shopping tools to be smarter and more personalized.