AI adoption hit 82% of global consumers in 2026, up from 68% last year — yet AI engines account for just 3.7% of the inspiration stage of shopping journeys, according to a VML report published last week.

"The AI shopping explosion has not yet detonated," the report read.

VML surveyed 28,000 consumers across 17 countries, including the US, China, and Australia, between May 22, 2026, and June 9, 2026. The findings point to a widening gap between how widely consumers use AI tools and how little those tools shape purchase behavior.

Habit drives platform choice

Gen Z leads adoption: 54% report using AI. Even among the silent generation — whose youngest members are 80 years old — 38% use it. ChatGPT is the most popular platform overall, used by 48% of those surveyed; Google Gemini ranks second at 37%.

Habit is the largest driver of which AI agents consumers choose, cited by 13% of respondents. Speed follows at 9%, and accuracy at 8%.

Use cases remain practical rather than commercial. Some 22% of consumers use AI for "general knowledge questions," the report found. Creative applications follow, with image creation or editing the top use case at 18%.

For brands, the implication is visibility inside AI platforms — especially for those targeting older consumers, who are unlikely to proactively adopt AI tools the way Gen Z and millennials do. The report suggests layering AI into existing interfaces instead.

"The window to influence which platforms consumers default to is narrowing fast; businesses and their technology partners can benefit from now rather than wait for the landscape to mature," the report read.

Search still dominates the funnel

Search engines remain the dominant force across the shopping journey. They account for 8.5% of the inspiration stage, versus 3.7% for AI engines. At the search stage, search engines hold 9% on average, while AI engines sit at 3.6% — a figure "virtually identical to social and TV at this stage," according to the report. At the purchase stage, AI engines fall to 2.7%.

VML suggested brands can gain a competitive edge by integrating AI into both online and offline experiences, such as on the shop floor or through mobile integrations.

Cautious wallets, sacred coffee

AI enthusiasm has not translated into bigger spending. A majority of consumers — 59% — said they are "more worried about their finances than ever before," with Gen Z and millennials "feeling the most worry."

Price now dominates decision-making: 72% of those surveyed said "price plays a much more important role than before," and 60% have cut discretionary spending due to financial concern and rising costs.

Some categories resist the pullback. Coffee and hot beverages ranked among the most cited "spending untouchables" — the "cheapest, most accessible form of escapism and comfort, and as an expenditure that global consumers see as sacred when it comes to budgeting," per the report.

The report recommends brands determine whether consumers view spend on their products as discretionary, and consider prioritizing Gen Z and millennial relationships despite their financial strain, given their commercial relevance.

Flexible payment options offer another lever. Some 40% of consumers "have accepted debt as a necessary fact of modern life to fund their lifestyles," while 38% said they are "stressed by having to rely on credit."

"Credit has become a normalized survival tool," the report read.

"For brands and retailers, success in this environment requires balancing emotional resonance with uncompromised transactional performance," the report read.

VML expects AI's role in shopping to change. The 3.7% inspiration-stage figure is "likely to grow considerably," the report stated — meaning brands that establish visibility and AI-integrated experiences now will be positioned before consumer defaults harden.

Source: Marketing Brew (https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/global-consumers-ai-use-shopping-habits-vml?utm_source=&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=feed) / Source: privacy.morningbrewinc.com (https://privacy.morningbrewinc.com/policies)