A recent Mastercard report has uncovered that more and more teenagers are relying on artificial intelligence tools to guide their shopping choices—at times choosing AI recommendations over the input of friends or parents.
Involving 26,000 parents and teenagers, Mastercard’s large-scale study exposes a clear generational split surrounding the impact of AI on shopping habits. The research points to AI not only shaping what is purchased but also influencing whom individuals look to for purchasing advice.
AI’s Role Expands Among Gen Z Shoppers
According to Tuesday’s survey, 27% of teenagers said they are likely to use an AI-powered virtual shopping assistant capable of recommending, selecting, and purchasing products based on their preferences. Comparatively, just 16% of parents expressed an openness to adopting fully AI-managed assistance for shopping tasks.
The survey also reveals a shift in trust toward digital advice: 31% of teens indicated they would favor a product recommendation from AI over input from a friend, and 23% of teenagers said they would rather follow an AI tool’s advice than guidance from their parents. While only 5% of parents predict this type of AI-driven experience will shape their own shopping, two-thirds think it will soon become the norm for their children’s generation.
Comparing How Teens and Parents Use AI
Mastercard’s findings also show that 62% of teenagers use AI tools at least once per month for product research, a figure notably higher than the 49% of parents who do the same. Reflecting on these trends, Brice van de Walle, executive vice president of core payments for Europe at Mastercard, remarked, “AI increasingly helps people decide what to buy; tomorrow it will help do the purchasing for them too.” You can read more in Mastercard’s official press release here.
Mastercard’s results are supported by similar trends from other research. For example, marketing firm RTB House discovered in its survey that close to six in ten U.S. shoppers have found unfamiliar brands through AI recommendations. However, having so many options can slow decisions; roughly 40% of those surveyed said that AI creates more choices and can prolong the buying process. See more on this research.
Retailers Boost AI Capabilities as Shopping Tastes Shift
Responding to growing demand for AI-supported shopping, leading retailers are enhancing digital features to make product selection and checkout more efficient. The Home Depot, for example, recently updated its Magic Apron AI assistant with real-time local store information, while Williams-Sonoma has expanded its use of AI to drive product searches and personalize the customer experience across all its brands.
Other retailers are pushing similar innovations: Target’s summer rollout introduced features like Review Insights and Photo Search, designed to speed up discovery by letting customers use photos and offering summaries from review data for faster discovery.
Developing such tools requires major investments. Over half of executives surveyed by KPMG report annual digital technology budgets of at least $50 million. For many, AI and related platforms now contribute between 31% and 40% to their total enterprise value. But obstacles remain—48% of executives cited “technical debt,” or lingering costs from previous shortcuts or flawed designs, as the top challenge to making further upgrades. IBM explains this limitation in detail (read more here).
Future of Shopping: Digital Tools Take Center Stage
The most recent data demonstrates a shift toward digital intelligence leading shopping choices, particularly among younger consumers. Retailers’ substantial investments in AI tools are driven by Gen Z’s enthusiasm for these technologies—suggesting that these shoppers will determine future standards of personalization, discovery, and trusted advice within the retail industry.