More than half of consumers have some AI concerns.

The emergence of artificial intelligence-equipped shopping tools is being viewed with some wariness by consumers.

Two-in-three consumers surveyed by e-commerce marketing company Omnisend would refuse letting AI make purchases on their behalf even if they get a better deal. Specific concerns about AI-equipped shopping assistants cited by respondents (more than one response allowed) include:

• AI’s handling of personal customer data (58%).
• AI feels more like an upselling tool than an assistant (42%).
• Lack of human support in customer service (40%).
• Privacy concerns (37%).
• Lack of trust in providing a company with personal customer data (28%).
• Inaccurate recommendations (21%).

Beyond trust concerns, 39% of respondents have abandoned purchases due to frustrating AI interactions, such as inaccurate recommendations or poor chatbot experiences. In addition, nearly half (48%) of respondents say AI should focus on improving customer service rather than making automated purchase decisions.

When asked how worried they are about how AI handles data in e-commerce, roughly 55% of respondents were either somewhat concerned (roughly 35%) or very concerned (roughly 20%). Roughly 25% of respondents had neutral feelings on the subject, with approximately 15% saying they are not very concerned and the remaining 5% not being concerned at all.

Respondents were not entirely negative in their assessment of AI-enabled shopping solutions. When asked which current AI-based customer assistance features they found most useful, 38% of respondents cited personalized product recommendations, while 31% said AI helps them discover products faster.