- New UK research reveals explosive growth in AI-assisted shopping, led by Gen Z, affluent, and urban consumers
- Nearly half of UK adults already use AI tools on a regular basis and almost a quarter plan to use them to assist with Christmas shopping
- Among 18-34-year-olds, these figures rise to 42%, highlighting rapid adoption among younger, urban and more affluent shoppers
- 85% of Brits planning to use AI for Christmas shopping would trust it to place orders and pay on their behalf
- Privacy, fraud and accuracy concerns remain major barriers, with nearly half of shoppers concerned about data use, security risks, or AI choosing the wrong item
London, UK – 15th December, 2025 – New research from leading payments consultancy, PSE Consulting, highlights the rapid adoption of AI-driven shopping tools and growing consumer trust in agentic AI ahead of Christmas this year, signalling a transformative moment for payments infrastructure and fintech.
Nearly half of UK adults surveyed (49%)* now use AI tools regularly, and almost a quarter (22%) plan to use them for Christmas shopping this year. Among 18-34-year-olds, adoption jumps to 42%, reflecting strong uptake among younger, urban and more affluent consumers.
85% of those planning to use AI for shopping this festive season would trust it to place orders and execute payments on their behalf. This marks a significant shift in consumer behaviour, demonstrating how agentic AI is moving beyond recommendations to handle full transactional flows.
Analysts predict that by the end of the decade, AI-powered shopping could reshape global retail which has prompted the payments consultancy to commission this research. In the US alone, automated “agentic” shopping tools may influence up to $1 trillion in online spending by 2030, with worldwide estimates running into several trillion dollars. The shift signals how quickly AI could become a routine part of how people find, compare, and buy everyday products.**
The research follows the launch of OpenAI’s Agentic Commerce Protocol in partnership with fintech giant Stripe earlier this year. While the service is expected to reach Europe in 6-9 months due to issues with Strong Customer Authentication, the findings demonstrate strong latent demand for agentic AI-powered commerce.
Despite the rapid adoption, UK consumers remain cautious. Privacy, fraud, and accuracy concerns are significant barriers, with 49% worried about data handling, 46% about fraud, and 41% fearing AI might select the wrong item. Only 9% report no concerns, indicating that trust and transparency remain critical for widespread adoption.
PSE Consulting’s research also identifies an emerging “AI shopping confidence divide.” Early UK adopters – typically 18-34, affluent, and urban use AI daily or several times a week. They are almost twice as likely as the general population to plan AI-assisted holiday shopping, though they remain cautious about practical issues such as returns, incorrect items, and opaque checkout flows. At the other end, UK traditionalists, typically 55+, with lower digital exposure, remain hesitant. Over half never use AI tools, and 80% will not rely on them for festive shopping.
Chris Jones, Managing Director at PSE Consulting, said: “What’s remarkable is how quickly AI has moved from novelty to an integral part of shopping.”
“AI is now becoming an active participant in the payment process. Systems designed for human-paced transactions are now under pressure to support high-frequency, autonomous agent-initiated flows. This has major implications for fintechs, merchants, and payment processors, especially around real-time authorisations, fraud detection, and liability management.”
He added: “The emerging ‘AI confidence divide’ is quietly reshaping shopping behaviour this Christmas. Early adopters are already turning to AI daily to hunt for deals and select gifts, while more traditional shoppers are taking a wait-and-see approach. Businesses that want to stay relevant will need to rethink how they engage customers, whether through integrated AI tools, personalised assistants, or new ways of presenting products that appeal to both early adopters and more hesitant consumers.”
As agentic AI becomes more embedded in everyday shopping, PSE Consulting expects usage to continue rising but emphasises that widespread trust will only come when consumers feel protected and in control.
ENDS
*Source: This online survey of 2000 UK adults who shop online was commissioned by Sky Parlour on behalf of PSE Consulting and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected between 13/11/2025 and 17/11/2025. All participants are double-opted in to take part in research and are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team. OnePoll are MRS Company Partners, corporate membership of ESOMAR and Members of the British Polling Council.
**Source: McKinsey 2025 report – The agentic commerce opportunity: How AI agents are ushering in a new era for consumers and merchants
About PSE Consulting
PSE Consulting is a leading global provider of payment advisory services to players across the payments landscape. PSE’s expertise has enabled it to deliver actionable market insights and operational optimisation to senior payments leaders for over 30 years.
To learn more, visit: https://pseconsulting.com/
