Well more than half of consumers, 71%, don’t realize they are encountering AI technology during an online shopping experience despite the fact most had recently shopped with retailers using the technology.

That’s a prime finding from a Bain & Company survey that also revealed 41% of consumers are comfortable using a GenAI tool from a brand they trust and that most are optimistic about the impact of GenAI, according to a press release.

More than half of those polled said the biggest negative impact to user experience with AI is inaccurate product information and obvious errors

“The online shopping experience has been so finely tuned over the past couple decades that retailers’ near-term generative AI priorities should be about complementing existing shopping habits, rather than replacing them,” Merritt Robinson, partner and global head of design for the Bain Innovation & Design team, said in the release. “It’s about enhancing, not disrupting, shopping flows. It may be somewhat counterintuitive, but this includes moving beyond some of the more explicit tools, like chatbots, to more passive solutions, such as summarized reviews on product pages. Much of the magic will then come from more proactive solutions, such as personalized content, tone of voice, and anticipatory service in customer interactions. Generative AI will help retailers stay in touch in more natural and helpful ways.”