Updated 5/13/2026

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Consumer trust in AI is becoming a bigger topic, as it is now a part of the online shopping experience, influencing how consumers potentially search, compare, and ultimately buy.

As these tools reshape the shopping journey, they’re also changing how shoppers decide what (and whom) to trust. For brands and retailers, understanding how trust in AI impacts credibility and confidence is becoming just as important as the technology itself.

In this report, we explore consumer trust in the age of AI. We examine how shoppers are responding to AI-driven experiences today, what earns their confidence when it’s time to check out, and how brands and retailers can align with these expectations and build trust in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Methodology

Bizrate Insights surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,006 U.S. online shoppers aged 18+ in November 2025 to explore consumer trust around AI.

Donut chart showing the age distribution of shoppers: 25% are age 40–54, 24% are age 30–39, 20% are age 55–64, 19% are age 18–29, and 11% are age 65 or older.
Pictogram chart showing 252 person icons divided into three color groups: 126 blue icons, 123 magenta icons, and 3 purple icons. No legend or category labels are visible, so the identities represented by each color cannot be determined from the screenshot.

The Trust Divide on AI


The Tug-of-War on Trust

Shopper trust hasn’t quite caught up to the rapid rise of AI in ecommerce, but that’s not to say demand won’t grow. When asked how much they trust AI while shopping, 38% of consumers say they somewhat or completely trust it, while another 30% openly distrust it. About a third (32%) sits squarely in the middle with no strong opinion either way…yet.

Age plays a major role in those trust levels. Younger shoppers (18 to 29) are the most open to AI, with 34% somewhat trusting and 14% completely trusting it, the highest of any age group. Adults aged 55 and over show the opposite trend: 24% completely distrust AI, and fewer than 1% say they completely trust it.

Meanwhile, shoppers aged 30 to 54 show the highest neutrality, with 25% to 35% falling into the undecided middle.

Donut chart showing shopper trust in AI while shopping: 38% trust AI, including 30% who somewhat trust and 8% who completely trust; 32% are undecided; and 30% distrust AI, including 17% who completely distrust and 13% who somewhat distrust. Completely distrust rises to 24% among shoppers aged 55 and older. Completely trust rises to 14% among shoppers aged 18 to 29, while fewer than 1% of shoppers aged 55 and older completely trust AI while shopping. Somewhat trust is highest among shoppers aged 18 to 29 at 34%, and neutrality peaks among shoppers aged 30 to 54 at 25% to 35%. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.

Consumer Trust in AI: The More They Shop, the More They Trust AI

How often someone shops online is one of the strongest predictors of their trust in AI. High-frequency shoppers are the most open to using AI tools and recommendations, with 39% somewhat trusting AI and 18% completely trusting it. Low-frequency shoppers, on the other hand, are much more wary; 26% completely distrust AI, the highest distrust level of any group.

Bar chart showing trust in AI while shopping by shopping frequency. Frequent shoppers show the highest trust, with 39% somewhat trusting and 18% completely trusting AI, compared with 37% and 4% of average shoppers and 21% and 3% of infrequent shoppers. Infrequent shoppers show the highest distrust, with 28% completely distrusting and 16% somewhat distrusting AI, compared with 13% and 12% of average shoppers and 7% and 9% of frequent shoppers. Undecided responses are 27% for frequent shoppers, 34% for average shoppers, and 34% for infrequent shoppers.

79% of consumers start their online shopping on retailer sites

Where Shopping Really Starts

Despite the noise around AI, shoppers still start their journey in the usual places. Retailer sites dominate the starting line, with a massive 79% of consumers kicking off their product search on sites like Amazon and Walmart. That number climbs even higher among older adults (88% to 91% of those aged over 55) and high-income earners (85% of $150K+ households).

Search engines come next at 59%, keeping Google in the game. Meanwhile, social media shines among younger shoppers, with 39% of 18 to 29-year-olds starting on TikTok, Instagram, and the like.

Horizontal bar chart showing the top discovery channels for online shopping. Retailer sites are the most used channel at 79%, followed by search engines at 59% and brand websites directly at 36%. Lower-ranked channels include social media at 16%, AI chat tools at 12%, image or visual search at 8%, and voice assistants at 4%. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.

Then there’s AI. Only 12% of shoppers start with AI chat tools. Usage rises to 20% for 18 to 29-year-olds, 21% of highfrequency shoppers, and 28% of people who already trust AI.

Overall, shoppers are curious about AI, but when it’s time to actually look for something, most still stick to what’s familiar and proven. The future may be AI-driven, but the present still belongs to retailer sites and search engines.

QUICK TAKEAWAY

Start where shoppers do. Discovery still happens on retailer sites and search engines, not AI chat tools. Focus on using AI to enhance existing journeys, rather than replace them.

Reviews Run the Show

Reviews Are the Most Trusted Source

From a variety of tools and resources available, shoppers quickly turn to other shoppers to find out what’s worth buying online. Customer reviews are the #1 trusted information source for purchases (71%), followed by friends and family (54%) and customer photos or videos (41%). Expert reviews have a solid following (34%), especially among higher-income shoppers (47% of those earning over $150K).

Meanwhile, AI-generated summaries rank low at 15%. That number does double to 31% among shoppers who already trust AI, showing a clear split between AI skeptics and adopters.

Influencer reviews sit at the bottom overall (12%), but they resonate more with women (24%) and younger adults (24% of ages 18 to 29).

In the AI era, shoppers lean toward familiar, human-centered sources. Trust still starts with other people.

Horizontal bar chart showing the most trusted information sources for online purchases. Customer ratings or reviews rank highest at 71%, followed by recommendations from friends or family at 54%, customer-submitted photos or videos at 41%, and expert or editorial reviews at 34%. AI-generated summaries or overviews of reviews are trusted by 15%, and influencer reviews rank lowest at 12%. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.

95% of shoppers read ratings or reviews before making an online purchase

Reviews Are Part of the Shopping Journey

Customer reviews are baked into the way people shop online. Nearly everyone (95%) reads reviews before buying, and 3 in 4 shoppers (72%) read them always or often, turning to real experiences from other people to guide all their buying decisions. Only a tiny 5% rarely or never check reviews, and that’s mostly among less frequent online shoppers who likely aren’t as comfortable with online buying yet.

Younger shoppers, in particular, are obsessed with reviews, with 82% of 18 to 29-year-olds reading reviews always or often. They’re constantly comparing, researching, and making sure they get the best deals while minimizing risk.

Three donut charts showing that 72% of shoppers always or often read reviews before buying, described as “I won’t buy without social proof.” Another 23% sometimes read reviews, depending on the product and price, while 5% rarely or never read reviews and say “I trust my gut, not strangers.” Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.

88% of shoppers at least occasionally question whether reviews online are real or trustworthy

Shoppers Don’t Always Trust What They Read

Despite relying heavily on reviews, most shoppers (88%) at least sometimes question whether what they read is real. Nearly half (44%) say they always or often doubt reviews. This skepticism shows up across every demographic, so almost everyone is reading reviews with a bit of suspicion.

Younger shoppers are the most wary. Among 18 to 29-year-olds, 53% always or often question authenticity, likely because they’ve grown up spotting fake content online. Older shoppers are slightly less suspicious; 41% of those aged 55 to 64 and 32% of those aged over 65 report always or often doubting reviews, leaning more toward “sometimes” or “rarely.”

Three donut charts showing that 44% of shoppers always or often question whether online reviews are real, described as “I’m constantly wondering who wrote these.” Another 44% sometimes question reviews, saying “Most seem real, but a few raise red flags,” while 12% rarely or never question reviews and say “I don’t really think about it.” Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.
tacked bar chart showing how often shoppers question whether online reviews are real by age group. Shoppers ages 18–29 and 30–39 are most likely to always or often question reviews, at 53% and 52%, respectively. Always or often questioning reviews is lower among older shoppers: 38% for ages 40–54, 41% for ages 55–64, and 32% for ages 65 and older. Sometimes questioning reviews is highest among ages 65 and older at 52%, followed by ages 40–54 at 48%, ages 55–64 at 46%, ages 30–39 at 41%, and ages 18–29 at 34%. Rarely or never questioning reviews ranges from 7% for ages 30–39 to 16% for ages 65 and older. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.

51% or half of shoppers think they can spot AI-written reviews

Confidence Is Split on Spotting Fake Reviews

Confidence is mixed when it comes to telling which reviews are written by a human and which are spun up by AI. About half of shoppers (51%) say they’re at least somewhat confident they can spot a fake review, which also means half are unsure or not confident at all.

Younger shoppers feel the most equipped, with 73% of 18 to 29-year-olds thinking they can spot AI-generated content, likely a side effect of growing up online. Confidence drops with age, as just 31% of people aged 55 to 64 feel at least somewhat confident.

Some shoppers trust their own instincts, others don’t. Yet everyone is navigating the same blurry line between human and AI.

Donut chart showing that 51% of shoppers are confident in their ability to identify AI-written reviews or recommendations, including 12% who are very confident and 39% who are somewhat confident. Another 39% are not confident, including 27% who are not very confident and 12% who are not confident at all, while 10% say they don’t know. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.
Stacked bar chart showing confidence in identifying AI-written reviews or recommendations by age. Confidence is highest among younger shoppers, with 73% of ages 18–29 and 65% of ages 30–39 saying they are very or somewhat confident. Confidence drops to 46% among ages 40–54, 30% among ages 55–64, and 33% among ages 65 and older. Lack of confidence is highest among older shoppers: 60% of ages 55–64 and 57% of ages 65 and older say they are not very or not confident at all, compared with 42% of ages 40–54, 25% of ages 30–39, and 19% of ages 18–29. “I don’t know” responses range from 8% to 12% across age groups. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.
QUICK TAKEAWAY

Put the “human” front and center. As shoppers try to decode what’s AI-generated, brands and retailers that highlight the human side of their review ecosystem (actual customers, actual experiences) make it easier for people to believe what they’re reading.

91% of shoppers say a “verified buyer review” label would increase their trust

The New Checklist for Spotting Real Reviews

What makes reviews feel real? Over half say a mix of positive and negative reviews feels honest (54%), while half of shoppers want user photos or videos to prove there’s an actual human behind the feedback. Natural, human-sounding language makes them more believable too (39%), as well as “verified purchase” tags (35%) and brand engagement (24%).

Horizontal bar chart showing the top signals that make online reviews feel authentic. The leading signal is a balance of positive and negative reviews at 54%, followed by user-uploaded images or videos at 50%, natural writing tone at 39%, and a verified purchase tag at 35%. Lower-ranked signals include brand response or acknowledgment at 24%, provided by a third party at 13%, and nothing at 7%. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.
QUICK TAKEAWAY

Make it obvious it’s real. Shoppers are hunting for reliable signals of authenticity, so double down on markers like verified buyer badges to show your reviews come from actual humans, not bots.

How Shoppers Are Using AI

AI Shopping Is Still a Slow Burn

Most consumers don’t use AI while shopping yet. Only 16% say they use AI regularly while shopping, while half (52%) say they rarely or never use AI at all.

The same pattern shows up with AI-powered checkout. Three out of four shoppers have never completed a purchase directly within an AI-powered experience, like ChatGPT or Alexa. However, the interesting middle shows up yet again: 32% say they haven’t tried it yet, but they’d be open to giving it a shot.

Four donut charts showing how often shoppers use AI tools or features while shopping. A majority, 52%, rarely or never use AI tools or features while shopping. Another 27% use them sometimes, 16% use them every time or often, and 5% say they don’t know. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.
Donut chart showing whether shoppers have purchased directly within an AI-powered experience. Most shoppers have not: 43% say no and would not do that, while 32% say no but would be open to it. A combined 19% have purchased this way, including 11% who have done so once and 8% who have done so multiple times. Another 5% are not sure. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.
QUICK TAKEAWAY

Adoption is low, but the runway is long. Keep your traditional channels strong, as most shoppers currently stick to familiar paths. That said, with a third of shoppers open to using AI to buy, now’s the time to test and experiment with AI features that feel genuinely helpful, so you can evolve as shoppers do.

Shoppers Trust AI With Busywork, Not Decisions

Consumers are currently most comfortable using AI help for price comparison (55%) and package tracking (47%). These are straightforward, factual tasks that don’t require taste or judgment.

However, shoppers pull back as the tasks get more personal, layered, or risky. Comfort drops to 33% for “finding the right product,” 23% for returns and support, and even lower for automated reordering (19%) or style/fit recs (17%).

When the job is simple and the stakes are low, shoppers welcome the help of AI. When a task requires greater trust, nuance, or money on the line, most shoppers would rather stay in control.

Bar chart showing the shopping tasks consumers are comfortable allowing AI to help with. Comparing prices and finding deals ranks highest at 55%, followed by tracking deliveries and delays at 47% and finding the right product for their needs at 33%. Fewer shoppers are comfortable using AI for managing returns and support at 23%, reordering routine items automatically at 19%, and styling or fit help for fashion or home at 17%. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.
QUICK TAKEAWAY

Blend AI efficiency with human judgment. Let AI handle the repetitive jobs, but pair it with human-reviewed recommendations for anything taste-based or high stakes.

What Makes an AI Rec Feel “Trustworthy”

When an AI feature recommends a product, the top signals that make it feel trustworthy include price comparisons (48%) first and foremost. Verified customer reviews take second place (40%), reinforcing human-focused reviews as a top trust signal in the AI era.

Following that are explanations of why the AI tool made the recommendation (36%), and recommendations from trusted brands (27%).

Horizontal bar chart showing what makes consumers trust an AI recommendation. Price comparisons rank highest at 48%, described as “This is the best deal right now.” Verified customer reviews follow at 40%, with “Real people bought and liked this,” and explanations for why the recommendation was made rank third at 36%, with “Here’s why this fits your needs.” Lower-ranked trust signals include recommendations from trusted brands at 27%, certification as independent or unbiased at 23%, and easy-to-control settings at 17%. Source: Bizrate Insights State of Consumer Trust in Online Shopping: How Shoppers Navigate AI and Authenticity.

Conclusion

As AI reshapes ecommerce, some embrace it for convenience, others resist, and a sizable third remains undecided…though demand could grow quickly.

Success comes from knowing your audience. Strengthen the existing channels they trust today, while experimenting with the AI-driven experiences they’ll expect tomorrow, tailoring your approach and trust signals to the mix of shoppers you serve.

Key Takeaways

Know your audience before designing your AI strategy. Different segments show different comfort levels, so testing is key to understand what specific features your consumers respond to.

AI is currently supplemental. Younger and frequent online shoppers use AI more, but it’s still not the default starting point. Maintain strong traditional channels while focusing on low-risk, operational AI wins that enhance existing journeys (e.g., site search, navigation, merchandising).

Human trust wins. Reviews are the #1 decision-driver, but shoppers question authenticity. Use verified buyer badges and real human cues to build confidence.

For a PDF downloadable version of this report: Download Now