Stop Making Customers Work for Points: 64% of Gen Z Are Already Hacking Loyalty with AI

Consumers are actively using AI to extract more value from loyalty programs, shifting the dynamic between brands and shoppers. According to Comarch's new executive report, "Loyalty as a Growth Engine in the AI Era," 64% of Gen Z in the UK and 55% in the US deploy AI tools to navigate and maximize rewards systems.

KRAKÓW, Polska, Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comarch's "Loyalty as a Growth Engine in the AI Era" report highlights a broader behavioral shift. Rather than just targeting luxury perks, consumers apply AI to everyday purchases, particularly groceries. In this sector, 46% of US and 50% of UK shoppers use AI to manage spending against inflation. Across all demographics, more than a third of consumers (35% in the US, 36% in the UK) actively research loyalty benefits using AI.

Shifting to an AI-driven loyalty model produces measurable financial results. Top-tier programs see a Net Promoter Score (NPS) increase of 20 points in the UK and 14 points in the US compared to lower-performing competitors. Furthermore, 76% of active members in top US programs take concrete actions to reinforce brand engagement, such as deliberately choosing the brand, increasing their spending, or advocating for it.

However, complex onboarding remains a major barrier to acquisition. In the US, 76% of non-enrollees avoid programs because they feel they do not shop enough to justify the effort. Globally, 32% of consumers cite tedious sign-up processes as their primary obstacle. Agentic AI addresses this friction by identifying and delivering value instantly, effectively doing the work for both the consumer and the brand.

"Loyalty is finally going to stop feeling like hard work. Think about what we ask people to do. Join, collect, keep track, and please redeem before it expires. Nobody wakes up in the morning wanting to manage their points. With agents, the program does that job. It finds the value and brings it to you. (...) The world is not fully there yet. Honestly, I like that. Everybody is still experimenting, us included, and that's usually when the good stuff gets built." – Max Byloff, CEO, Comarch Loyalty Solutions, Comarch

Read the full Comarch executive report here: https://www.comarch.com/trade-and-services/loyalty-marketing/resources/report-loyalty-as-a-growth-engine-in-the-ai-era/

Michal Ostasz (michal.ostasz@comarch.com)