According to a recent study released by ACI Worldwide, trust remains the main barrier to the adoption of AI shopping tools in the UK. The survey shows that consumers still have concerns about control, money, and accountability when using AI assistants. The research was conducted by YouGov for ACI Worldwide, with 2000 British adults as participants.
The survey results show that only 19% of consumers believe AI assistants can follow rules and make everyday purchasing decisions. In contrast, 55% of respondents trust human experts or advisors more. 69% of participants said they do not trust AI, even if it follows the rules they set. Additionally, 60% of respondents said they would stop using the tool if an AI assistant made one mistake.
AI shopping assistants are able to search and compare products and complete purchases on behalf of consumers after obtaining their permission. As merchants and payment service providers increasingly use these tools, the findings reflect consumers' emphasis on financial control. Adriana Iordan, Head of Merchant and Payment Intelligence at ACI Worldwide, stated that consumers are willing to accept AI assistance but must maintain control over their decisions and funds.
The survey also showed that consumer acceptance of AI is closely related to its ability to make independent decisions. 50% of respondents trusted AI to find the best price, while only 18% of consumers trusted it to act in their financial interest. Furthermore, 44% of respondents said they would never trust an AI shopping assistant, regardless of how much money it saved them.
The findings also indicate the strongest resistance from consumers towards AI making purchases and accessing sensitive financial data on its own. 70% of respondents said that if a purchase was completed without asking for their input, it would affect their willingness to use an AI shopping assistant. Moreover, 61% of people were cautious about AI assistants linked to their bank accounts.
Regarding responsibility, 54% of consumers believe that the technology or AI company should be responsible for refunds when problems occur, while only 9% thought the responsibility lay with the retailer. This reflects that consumer trust in AI shopping assistants has not been established, with 59% of respondents expressing distrust in any organization to manage AI-driven shopping and payments.
Key Takeaways:
🌟 Only 19% of consumers trust AI assistants to make regular purchasing decisions, while 55% trust human experts more.
💸 60% of respondents said they would stop using the tool immediately if an AI assistant made a mistake.
🔍 70% of consumers said that purchases made without their input would affect their willingness to use an AI shopping assistant.
