{"slug": "ai-is-changing-the-way-consumers-shop-and-businesses-need-to-get-ready", "title": "AI is changing the way consumers shop, and businesses need to get ready", "summary": "AI tools have become the third most-used channel for product research among consumers, behind search engines and retailer websites or apps, according to a PwC survey of 1,000 consumers. The survey found 44 percent of consumers said AI had reduced their use of search engines when researching purchases. PwC partner Phil Wheeler said businesses need to adapt to how AI views their brand as consumer behavior shifts toward AI-driven discovery.", "body_md": "For years, consumers have discovered products and made purchase decisions by using search engines, websites, or recommendations from family and friends.\n\nEnter artificial intelligence. The technology that has [already changed so much](https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/science-and-technology/682709/nz-workers-slow-to-adopt-ai-but-many-hide-how-much-they-use-it-report), is also transforming shopping.\n\nResearch by PwC has found that AI tools have become the third most-used channel for product research among consumers, behind search engines and retailer websites or apps.\n\nPwC's survey of 1000 consumers found 44 percent said AI had reduced their use of search engines when researching purchases.\n\nPwC partner Phil Wheeler said it was an important finding, and highlighted the start of an evolution for consumers.\n\n\"They are using it primarily at the moment for the early stages of that shopping journey,\" he said.\n\nIt meant consumers were using AI for product inspiration, comparison, price options and price benefits, rather than executing the purchase itself.\n\n\"We think that [the latter point] is really related to trust in AI, and the evolution of AI -- I mean it's not perfect yet, there's still development going on,\" he said.\n\nWheeler said [businesses had to act](https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/620498/luxon-constantly-underwhelmed-by-slow-ai-uptake-in-nz-businesses) to get on top of changing consumer behaviour.\n\n\"I think for consumer brands and retailers, they now need to start committing to adapting the way that they present in the market,\" he said.\n\n\"That's no longer adapting it for [just] search engine optimisation ... or social media.\"\n\nWheeler said it had become \"how does AI view me as a brand or what type of perception is it going to provide to consumers when they search or prompt a particular product?\".\n\nThe PwC report said for businesses it raised questions around the discoverability of their products and services within AI-driven experiences, and whether their production information was structured, accurate and trusted.\n\nAnd it raised a question of how marketing and online strategies should evolve if consumers bypassed traditional search methods.\n\nPwC said the next phase of the AI evolution was already emerging, with AI agents able to act on a consumer's behalf, from comparing products to completing purchases.\n\nIts report said while agentic commerce was in its early stages, its findings suggested adoption was already underway.\n\nIt found 31 percent of consumers were already comfortable allowing an AI agent to complete purchases on their behalf.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ai-is-changing-the-way-consumers-shop-and-businesses-need-to-get-ready", "canonical_source": "https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/773456/ai-is-changing-the-way-consumers-shop-and-businesses-need-to-get-ready", "published_at": "2026-07-22 21:37:31+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-22 21:53:00.796620+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-tools", "ai-agents"], "entities": ["PwC", "Phil Wheeler"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ai-is-changing-the-way-consumers-shop-and-businesses-need-to-get-ready", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ai-is-changing-the-way-consumers-shop-and-businesses-need-to-get-ready.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ai-is-changing-the-way-consumers-shop-and-businesses-need-to-get-ready.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ai-is-changing-the-way-consumers-shop-and-businesses-need-to-get-ready.jsonld"}}