Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai.The way people shop online is undergoing a rapid transformation, with artificial intelligence chatbots emerging as powerful shopping assistants. During the Christmas and New Year season, a large number of consumers handed over much of their gift-buying work to AI chatbots. These tools listen to user needs, shortlist products and help compare prices and features, making shopping faster and more personalised. From checking availability to narrowing down choices, chatbots are steadily becoming part of everyday purchasing decisions.
Growing trust in AI shopping assistants
A survey by Shopify shows how quickly consumer trust in AI tools is growing. In wealthy countries, nearly two-thirds of consumers plan to use AI for shopping during the holiday season. Among young people aged 18 to 24, around 15 to 20 percent say they intend to rely on AI tools while making purchases. This shift suggests that younger buyers are more open to experimenting with technology-driven shopping experiences.
Chatbot shopping may touch ₹450 lakh crore
According to a McKinsey study, shopping advice is now the second most common use of tools like ChatGPT in the United States, after general research. McKinsey estimates that by 2030, shopping worth between ₹270 lakh crore and ₹450 lakh crore could be conducted through chatbots. This highlights the enormous scale of commerce that AI-driven tools may influence in the coming years.
Key trends driving chatbot-led shopping include
- Users asking AI tools to check store stock and compare prices
- Chatbots helping shortlist products based on preferences
- Increased use of AI during high-demand festive seasons
Tech giants clash over AI agents
As AI agents become intermediaries between shoppers and retailers, tensions are rising. Several e-commerce companies are unhappy with AI tools acting between them and customers. Amazon has blocked OpenAI agents from accessing information on its platform and has filed a case against Perplexity. Amazon claims that Perplexity’s Comet browser behaves like a human while scanning its website, raising concerns over data access and competition.
Retailers adapt to the AI shift
While some companies resist, others are adapting quickly. In October, Walmart announced that customers would soon be able to buy its products directly through ChatGPT. Analysts at Mizuho Bank estimate that about four percent of visits to Walmart’s website already come via third-party sources. Meanwhile, OpenAI has signed agreements with platforms like Shopify and Etsy, allowing merchants to sell products through chatbots in exchange for a fee. Google is also closely watching this expanding market.
Human touch still matters in shopping
Experts say chatbots work best for products with clear specifications, such as vacuum cleaners, where comparisons are straightforward. They perform reasonably well with cosmetics but often struggle in highly personal areas like fashion. Interestingly, the rise of AI has renewed the importance of physical stores. According to a Shopify survey this year, three-fourths of shoppers said they value human interaction while shopping, a figure 50 percent higher than in 2024.
Shoppers still prefer human connection for
- Personal advice and reassurance
- Experiencing products in physical stores
- Trust and emotional comfort during purchases
