Imagine walking into a store, and being greeted by a friendly sales associate who not only recommends the latest products but also helps you make informed purchasing decisions. That’s what GenAI, or Generalized Artificial Intelligence, is bringing to the world of shopping. Consumers around the globe are increasingly using GenAI to inform their purchasing paths, and the numbers are staggering.
According to our research, shopping-related GenAI use has grown by a whopping 35% from February 2025 to November 2025. This trend is not limited to a specific category or demographic; GenAI is being used by consumers across various age groups, income levels, and regions. In fact, in some countries, half of all consumers are GenAI users.
So, what’s driving this shift towards GenAI-powered shopping? One respondent explained it beautifully: ‘It’s like having an open conversation with an expert. I can ask anything and get the most accurate information, and it saves me the time of doing research, as it does it for me.’
## The Great Leap Forward in GenAI Awareness
Underpinning GenAI’s growing role in the purchase pathway is the rise in GenAI awareness and use in general. We found that awareness of GenAI tools is now nearly ubiquitous. Since BCG’s Center for Customer Insight first monitored consumers’ GenAI uptake on a global scale, more than two years ago, the percentage of consumers around the world who say that they are aware of GenAI tools and—even more telling—have used them has increased by 12 percentage points and 25 percentage points, respectively.
## The GenAI-Enhanced Purchase Pathway
Today, shoppers turn to GenAI for myriad purposes along the purchase pathway. According to our survey, the most common use cases include researching products, comparing prices, and reading reviews. But the list of specific uses is long and varied, as these examples shared by surveyed consumers demonstrate:
* ‘I used AI to look up the best skin care routines and then the best products.’
* ‘When making my recent purchase of a cell phone, I used AI to compare cell phone brands. I wanted to know the pros and cons for an iPhone compared with a Samsung phone. And I wanted to compare prices, such as whether I got it at UScellular versus Best Buy.’
* ‘I asked questions. What are the healthiest types of olive oil? How do you determine if it is good quality or bad quality? And which brands offer good quality for a reasonable price? It also helped me compare prices and features from different stores.’
## Why GenAI Resonates with Shoppers
Brands and retailers reach consumers through many established touchpoints: search engines, brand websites, in-store displays, and social media, to name a few. GenAI is both a part of this mix and a source of new touchpoints, such as conversational AI experiences and answer-first interactions that sit alongside traditional ones. In many cases, AI use fits seamlessly into this web of touchpoints, becoming a helpful companion in the shopper’s journey.
As emerging touchpoints complement traditional ones, they add to the broader proliferation of interactions that shape today’s nonlinear shopping journeys. This makes it essential for marketers to be deliberate about which touchpoints they emphasize at different stages of the journey. Despite its current lower reach relative to other touchpoints, GenAI tends to be highly influential and often decisive. Consumers trust GenAI. According to our survey, more than 60% of consumers express high trust in GenAI results.
