New research from Horizon Media finds that while consumers have broadly adopted artificial intelligence (AI) for product research and price comparison, they remain deeply skeptical of AI making purchases on their behalf. And that skepticism can cost brands, per the report. 

More than two thirds (68%) of the consumers Horizon surveyed believe that AI shopping agents may not act in their best interests.

When those consumers have a negative experience with an automated purchase, which happens 40% of the time, their brand loyalty is at risk, or what Horizon calls a “trust tax.” 

Per the research, this “trust tax” is a quantifiable threat to the long-term loyalty of more than 27% of a brand’s customers. 

“The premise that brands might trade short-term conversion gains for long-term loyalty isn't just a theory," says Laura Sammartino, senior vice president-future of consumer & culture, Horizon Media. "Twenty-seven percent of your customers are already at risk. That's not a rounding error." 

Other key findings from the report:

-- Consumers want help – but not a handoff. While 70% of consumers are comfortable using AI for deal-hunting, only 33% are comfortable allowing AI to complete a purchase on their behalf.

-- Efficiency comes with an emotional cost. Even when AI delivers a successful purchase, 40% of consumers say they expect to feel anxious or frustrated, and 23% anticipate feeling disconnected from the experience.

-- AI loyalty is under scrutiny.  76% of consumers believe AI shopping agents should work for them—but only 27% believe they actually do.  

The report finds that AI is quickly becoming the “front door” to commerce:

-- 82% of consumers have used AI for product research or comparison

-- 64% of consumers have used AI for price tracking

-- 62% of consumers have used AI for research

-- 90% of consumers report satisfaction with AI-assisted shopping experiences 

“AI is turning shoppers into optimizers,” asserts Sammartino, adding: “Brands are no longer just competing for attention. They’re competing to be selected by an algorithm.” 

In an AI mediated world, the report concludes, brands need to be become “Optimizers,” “Curators,” or “Guarantors," depending on particular brand characteristics. It offers different sets of steps that brands can take for each category.  

For example, “Optimizers” should: 

The report, “Agentic Commerce: Building Trust in the New Era of AI Shopping,” was developed by Horizon Futures in partnership with Horizon Commerce, Blue Hour Studios, and Horizon SEO. The findings are based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers and active AI users that was conducted in March and supplemented by behavioral data and cultural analysis. 

The full report can be accessed here.