Zeta Global Study Reveals Early Adoption of AI-Powered Shopping Agents — Zeta Global Holdings Corp.

Event summary

Zeta Global's survey of 2,000 U.S. adults in May 2026 found growing consumer trust in AI for shopping decisions.
43% of parents would allow AI to make purchases on their behalf within a set budget, compared to 27% of non-parents.
70% of AI shoppers prefer purchasing directly from brand websites rather than through AI platforms.
Electronics (33%) and beauty products (20%) are the leading categories for AI-assisted shopping.

The big picture

Zeta Global's findings highlight a strategic inflection point where AI is transitioning from assisting to authorizing purchases, particularly among parents. This shift suggests that brands must optimize not just for human shoppers but also for AI agents, prioritizing relevance and trust in digital discovery pathways. The early adoption patterns observed could signal broader consumer behavior trends as AI becomes more integrated into the purchase journey.

What we're watching

Discovery Optimization: How brands will adapt their discovery strategies to align with AI recommendation systems.
First-Party Data: Whether the shift toward agentic commerce will accelerate the importance of first-party data for brand visibility.
Category-Specific Trends: The pace at which AI adoption varies across different product categories and demographic groups.