Business AI Race Is Outpacing Consumer Reality, VML's Future Shopper Report Finds

Landmark global study reveals that while businesses race toward AI adoption, economic pressures leave shoppers focused on price, trust, and seamless experience.

NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AI has become a defining force shaping business, promising to transform how consumers discover and purchase products. Yet according to VML's 10th annual Future Shopper report, the consumer reality paints a more pragmatic picture that highlights a growing disconnect between industry AI ambition and true consumer behavior.

The global study reveals that while AI adoption has surged, shoppers continue to make purchasing decisions based on the fundamentals that have always mattered: value, product availability, trust, and frictionless customer experience. Faced with economic pressures, consumers are focused on embracing AI as a tool but are far from allowing it to replace human judgment.

AI Consumer Reality by the Numbers

VML's Future Shopper research points to a growing confidence gap and rise in consumer scrutiny:

• 82% of consumers have used AI. Yet AI adoption remains concentrated around everyday tasks rather than autonomous purchasing.
• 58% cross-check AI-generated product recommendations before purchasing.
• 49% say AI-generated product imagery reduces trust in a brand; 48% skip content they believe was created using AI.
• 53% worry AI shopping tools are commercially influenced; 55% say sponsored search results make it harder to find the best products.
• 33% would not allow AI to make purchases on their behalf.

"AI dominates the conversations around business and commerce, but consumers are telling us a more nuanced story. Consumers are embracing AI and digital commerce, but they're also driven by financial pressure and growing intentionality in who they trust. Long-term loyalty will need to earn consumer confidence at every stage of the customer journey through transparency, consistency, and exceptional customer experience," said Brent Taylor, global CEO of WPP Commerce and global commerce lead of VML.

What the 2026 Future Shopper Report Reveals

The report highlights several shifts shaping the shopper landscape:

Economic pressure is reshaping what matters. Nearly 6 in 10 consumers report greater financial anxiety than ever before, leading many to cut discretionary spending and reduced emphasis on sustainability. Shoppers are prioritizing more carefully, but protecting "sacred luxuries" like clothing, coffee, and beauty.

Search remains essential — even as confidence in digital discovery is eroding. Search engines have reclaimed their position as consumers' top source for product inspiration and search, even as shoppers grow more skeptical of the platforms. 44% say search quality has declined over the past year, 55% believe sponsored results make it harder to find the best products, and 47% feel their favorite online platforms have become worse over time.

Consumers are redefining the value on personal data. Four in 10 consumers say they would exchange deeply personal information — including real-time location, shopping habits, and health metrics — for monthly income, signaling a sea change in attitudes toward privacy, data, and value exchange.

Flawless customer experience has become a brand differentiator. Online and offline shopping have reached near parity, with 51% of consumer spending now taking place online. Regardless of channel, shoppers rank price, product availability, and frictionless experiences above all else. Nearly half (48%) say they won't shop with brands that fail to meet their basic digital expectations, while 41% regularly abandon purchases because of frustrating online shopping experiences.

Influence is at an inflection point. Family and friends remain consumers' most trusted source of purchasing advice, while traditional creators are losing influence (falling year over year from 15% to 13% influence force) and AI tools emerge as a new, albeit scrutinized, source of recommendations.

"A decade of Future Shopper research tells us that commerce never stands still, but the foundations of great brands remain remarkably consistent. Today's consumers are more informed, more demanding, and more discerning than ever. The winners of the next era of commerce won't simply be the brands with the best technology and data — they'll be the ones that earn and sustain consumer confidence," said Neil Dawson, global chief strategy officer of VML.

Now in its 10th year, Future Shopper has become one of the industry's longest-running global studies examining how technology, culture, and consumer expectations are reshaping commerce. Over the past decade, it has tracked the evolution of everything from mobile shopping and marketplaces to social commerce and AI-powered discovery.

Download the Future Shopper 2026 report here.

About Future Shopper 2026

Future Shopper is VML's flagship annual report exploring the trends, technologies, and shifting consumer behaviors redefining the future of commerce. Drawing on global consumer research of 28,000 consumers across 17 countries, as well as expert insights, the report helps brands and retailers understand what's next and what they should do about it.

About VML

VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world's leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100. VML's global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. 

VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel. 

For more information, please visit www.vml.com and follow along on LinkedIn #WeAreVML.