#London #UK #AI Shopping #Checkout.com #Agent Commerce

The Rising Demand for AI Shopping: A Trust Dilemma

Consumers are increasingly leaning towards AI-driven shopping experiences, but as revealed by Checkout.com's latest research, they still harbor doubts about trusting the technology. The study, titled "Agent Commerce 2026: Consumer Demand and Merchant Preparedness," explores the burgeoning interest in agent-led commerce, where AI agents perform tasks like product searches and purchases on behalf of consumers.

According to the report, a striking statistic shows that one-third of consumers believe that more than 10% of their purchases will be AI-driven within the next year. Merchants in the UK and the US are also cluing in on this shift, with approximately 72% recognizing that consumers are likely to embrace agent-led shopping faster than many merchants can prepare.

The Trust Gap

However, despite the enthusiastic outlook from consumers and merchants alike, a considerable trust gap remains. Over 27% of surveyed consumers declared that they do not trust any organization to manage an AI shopping agent, while 24% stated they would never leave purchases to AI. This indicates a clear hesitation to entrust significant spending to AI without proper safeguards.

The findings suggest a dual challenge of expectation and trust. While consumers are keen to engage with AI shopping solutions, their willingness to commit money is stifled by uncertainties regarding security and management.

Security Measures Matter

An essential factor in bridging this trust gap is implementing robust management functionalities. Consumers expressed that they would only consider directing spending to AI agents if strict control mechanisms were in place. On average, respondents felt comfortable delegating purchases of about £177 (approximately $220) to an AI shopping agent without requiring additional approval, which falls short of the £200 (approximately $244) expected by merchants.

Key security features that consumers demand include spending limits (30%), the ability to revoke permissions instantly (29%), and an easy cancellation process (28%). Notably, 75% of merchants also support the idea that real-time permission revocation is crucial for the widespread adoption of agent-led commerce.

Convenience Drives Adoption

The motivation behind consumer interest in agent commerce largely stems from the convenience factor. Many desire to reclaim time from everyday tasks and enhance their shopping experiences. A quarter of consumers (25%) identified time savings as the leading reason for using AI shopping agents, while 20% want to leverage AI to avoid missing out on better deals.

The study suggests that agent commerce will develop unevenly, starting from low-risk, frequent purchase categories before venturing into broader areas. Items like groceries (41%) and everyday essentials (31%) are considered safer bets for AI delegation, while more complex purchases, such as financial services (15%), are viewed with higher scrutiny.

Changing Brand Loyalty Dynamics

An intriguing revelation from the study points towards a potential transformation in brand loyalty linked to AI shopping. More than half (57%) of consumers indicated a willingness to switch brands if an AI shopping agent identified a superior option. This underscores the possibility that AI might reshape how products are discovered and compared—emphasizing the urgency for companies to establish trust through transparency and accountability.

While only 3% of transactions currently involve AI agents, a remarkable 89% of merchants report that they are actively preparing for agent commerce. Their readiness may well be a sign that industry standards and trust models are on the verge of maturation.

Comments from Checkout.com CMO Rory O'Neill

"Agent commerce is rapidly transitioning from concept to reality. Consumers are starting to test AI agents for everyday purchases as the industry is racing to create protocols and standards that will support this next-generation e-commerce. However, as adoption accelerates, the underlying infrastructure must also evolve. Consumers require assurances that AI agents will operate within a framework of clear management, security, and spending limits. Until this foundational trust is established, it will remain a significant barrier to widespread adoption," remarked Rory O'Neill, CMO of Checkout.com.

About Checkout.com

Checkout.com offers payment solutions to thousands of businesses that support the digital economy. Their digital payments network accommodates over 145 currencies and processes billions of transactions globally each year. With flexible and scalable technology, they assist in improving payment success rates, reducing processing costs, and preventing fraud, ultimately linking payments to enhanced business profitability. Headquartered in London, Checkout.com operates in 19 offices worldwide, partnering with top global brands such as Sony, Netflix, Uber, Spotify, Alibaba, Docusign, Wise, Sainsbury's, and Financial Times. For more information, visit www.checkout.com.