AI Agents Facilitate 3 Percent of US, UK Online Transactions

Image credit: Abondance

Artificial intelligence agents currently facilitate only 3 percent of online transactions across the United States and United Kingdom, a new analysis found Tuesday, underscoring a significant gap between industry hype and actual consumer adoption.

Despite this low engagement, 72 percent of merchants surveyed believe consumers will embrace agentic commerce at a pace exceeding their ability to provide support, according to the study.

The research highlighted a substantial generational divide in familiarity with AI shopping agents, with 71 percent of individuals aged 18 to 24 reporting familiarity compared to just 19 percent of those 55 and older.

Merchants predominantly envision AI agents handling complex, high-value purchases, the study reported, but consumers show a preference for delegating everyday, low-risk transactions to AI.

Consumer demand for safeguards emerged as a key factor for wider adoption, with shoppers specifically requesting features such as spending caps, instant revocation of agent authority, and additional validation for purchases exceeding a certain monetary threshold.

The analysis, which included perspectives from the United States, United Kingdom, France, United Arab Emirates, China, and Brazil, indicated varying levels of brand loyalty among consumers.

In France, 43 percent of consumers stated they would accept an AI agent changing brands for a better offer, according to the study, a figure lower than the global average of 57 percent.

Organizations like OpenAI, Mastercard, Google, and Visa are among those exploring the potential of AI in commerce, though widespread integration into daily shopping habits remains limited.

The findings suggest that while the technological framework for AI agent commerce is developing, bridging the divide between merchant expectations, consumer readiness, and trust in autonomous purchasing systems will be important for future growth.

Source: Abondance