60% shoppers express high trust in GenAI while shopping: Report

Generative artificial intelligence is becoming a regular part of how consumers shop, with its use extending beyond large purchases to everyday items such as groceries, according to a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Shopping-related use is now the third most common application of GenAI. According to BCG’s report, Consumers Trust AI to Buy Better. Brands Need to Move Quickly, the use of GenAI for shopping rose 35% between February and November 2025.

Kanika Sanghi, Partner and Director at BCG, said, “Adoption of generative AI in India has moved well beyond early experimentation. Awareness now stands at 94%, while usage has increased to 62%, placing India among the highest-adoption markets globally. Its application spans professional and consumer decision-making, with 63% of users relying on these tools at work and 64% using them to research brands and products as part of the purchase journey. This has important implications for brands. GenAI is now playing a significant role across consumer discovery, evaluation, and decision-making. With adoption extending across personal and professional decisions, brands in India will need to ensure they are effectively represented in AI-enabled journeys through clear value propositions, high-quality data, and responsible AI practices.”

The findings are based on a survey of more than 9,000 consumers across nine countries, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the UK and the United States, and examine how GenAI tools are being integrated into daily routines and purchasing decisions.

Consumer awareness of GenAI has increased by 12% points over the past two years, while usage has grown by 25 points. In several markets, about half of consumers now use GenAI tools, including Brazil (63%), India (62%), Japan (48%) and the United States (42%).

The report found that consumers use GenAI to research and compare products across categories such as electronics, travel, groceries and health care. More than 60% of respondents said they have a high level of trust in GenAI-generated results.

Separate BCG research showed that GenAI assistants and chat tools rank as the second most influential touchpoint in the purchase journey among users, and as the most influential touchpoint among daily GenAI users.

Consumers surveyed described GenAI tools as direct, objective, transparent and personalized, with some saying the technology helped clarify their preferences when they were uncertain.

BCG said GenAI is emerging as a new layer in the shopping process, shaping how consumers research, evaluate and decide what to buy, and is likely to continue influencing purchase behaviour.