NIQ Data Shows AI Is Starting to Reshape How Consumers Shop

AI is becoming part of the consumer shopping journey, according to new research from NielsenIQ.

NIQ’s latest data shows that 42% of consumers have used at least one AI tool to shop within the past month. The findings suggest that AI is already influencing how people discover products, compare options, find discounts, and narrow choices before making a purchase.

The data does not suggest that most consumers are ready to hand over shopping decisions entirely to AI. Instead, AI is becoming a decision-support layer that helps shoppers move faster from consideration to selection while still keeping control over the final purchase.

AI Is Moving Into the Shopping Journey

According to NIQ, consumers are using AI in several different ways during the buying process.

The research found that 17% of consumers have used AI for product recommendations, while 10% have used a voice assistant to purchase or reorder items. Another 19% use subscribe or auto-replenish features for repeat purchases, and 10% have engaged with an AI-powered shopping assistant. Fully autonomous AI shopping remains early, with 5% of consumers using autonomous AI agents to place orders on their behalf.

These numbers show that the most common behavior is not full automation. It is AI-assisted shopping.

That distinction matters for retailers, brands, and commerce platforms. Consumers are not simply asking AI to buy everything for them. They are using AI to reduce complexity, compare options, and make faster decisions.

From Search to Decision

Liz Buchanan, President of North America at NIQ, described the shift as a move “from search to decision.” She said AI is not replacing the consumer, but it is changing how choices are made.

This is an important change for commerce leaders.

For years, digital commerce has been shaped by search rankings, product pages, reviews, marketplaces, and retail media placements. AI adds another layer. It can influence what products are surfaced, how options are compared, and which brands make it into a consumer’s consideration set.

In that environment, visibility is no longer only about being present on a shelf, search result, or marketplace page. It also means being understood and recommended by AI-driven decision systems.

The Shelf Is Becoming Algorithmic

NIQ’s research highlights a major challenge for brands and retailers: the shopping shelf is becoming algorithmic.

Buchanan said the shelf is no longer just physical or digital, but algorithmic. That changes how products compete, how performance is measured, and how growth is unlocked.

For consumer brands, this creates a new performance problem. Traditional metrics such as shelf placement, search ranking, conversion rate, and media spend may not be enough if AI systems are influencing discovery and selection earlier in the journey.

Brands will need to understand whether their products are visible inside AI recommendations, whether their value is being represented accurately, and whether product data is strong enough for AI systems to interpret correctly.

Trust Becomes a Commerce Advantage

NIQ also pointed to trust as a critical factor in AI-influenced shopping.

As AI becomes more involved in product discovery and comparison, consumers will expect accuracy, transparency, and responsible data use. The research notes that consumers remain willing to switch brands for better value, but in an AI-driven environment, brands that fail to meet expectations may not be surfaced at all.

This raises the stakes for product information, pricing accuracy, reviews, availability, and brand credibility.

If AI tools become part of the path to purchase, poor data quality or weak trust signals could reduce a brand’s visibility before the consumer even reaches a product page.

Why This Matters for Retailers and Brands

For retailers and manufacturers, NIQ’s findings point to a new phase of commerce measurement.

AI is beginning to influence the full decision journey, not just the transaction. That means brands need to think beyond digital shelf optimization and start considering AI recommendation visibility, product data quality, decision influence, and trust performance.

Retailers also need to understand how AI shopping behavior could change search, personalization, loyalty, and retail media strategies. If consumers increasingly rely on AI tools to compare value and narrow options, retailers will need systems that can support accurate product discovery and trusted recommendations.

Methodology and Next Steps

NIQ said the findings are based on its ongoing Quick Question research, with a monthly sample of approximately 500 consumers across the United States in early 2026.

The company said it will expand on these findings through its broader agentic commerce research, including insights from its global report, The Commerce Revolution, and at its annual C360 event, scheduled for June 8–11, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.

For B2B commerce, retail, and marketing leaders, the message is clear: AI shopping is no longer only a future concept. Consumers are already using AI to help make buying decisions. The next challenge is understanding how to compete when product discovery, comparison, and selection are increasingly shaped by algorithms.

Key Source / Reference

Official source: Business Wire — 42% of Consumers Now Use AI Tools to Shop, NIQ Data Shows

FAQ Section

What did NIQ’s research find about AI shopping?

NIQ found that 42% of consumers have used at least one AI tool to shop within the past month.

Are consumers fully delegating purchases to AI agents?

Not yet. NIQ’s data shows that only 5% of consumers have used fully autonomous AI agents to place orders on their behalf.

How are consumers using AI while shopping?

Consumers are using AI for product recommendations, comparison, voice-assisted purchases, auto-replenishment, AI-powered shopping assistance, and limited autonomous ordering.

What is agentic commerce?

Agentic commerce refers to a shopping environment where AI tools or agents help influence, guide, or automate parts of the consumer buying journey.

Why does this matter for brands and retailers?

It matters because AI can influence which products consumers see, compare, and select. Brands and retailers may need to optimize for AI-driven discovery and recommendation systems, not only traditional search or shelf placement.

What is the methodology behind NIQ’s findings?

NIQ said the findings are based on its ongoing Quick Question research, using a monthly sample of approximately 500 consumers across the United States in early 2026.