Dive Brief:
- The top reason shoppers cite for not using generative AI tools is happiness with their current shopping methods, according to a Bain & Co. survey of more than 700 consumers released Wednesday.
- Generative AI can still enhance experiences for these consumers by blending with traditional shopping journeys, such as through review summaries on product detail pages, according to Bain.
- One of the most valuable generative AI use cases is facilitating purchase decisions through personalization. The survey found that consumers are most willing to share information about their personal interests, like hobbies and favorite products.
Dive Insight:
Many consumers are unaware that generative AI is already making its way into e-commerce, and leaders have an opportunity to build trust as they integrate the technology into customers’ shopping journeys.
While generative AI is a hot topic for customer experience leaders, 7 in 10 consumers said they were not aware of having used generative AI even when they recently shopped with retailers that were likely to use it, according to Bain’s findings.
Gartner research found that a majority of consumers are somewhat or very familiar with generative AI as a concept, according to Kassi Socha, VP analyst at Gartner. However, they may become skeptical of the technology as it evolves from a buzzword to a part of everyday life.
As a result, retailers need to focus on use cases that will offer consumers a clear value-add, according to Socha. Bain’s survey highlighted the potential of personalization, while Gartner research found that 2 in 5 consumers would use the technology to help them search for better deals.
“It is more important to find use cases where gen AI can be piloted in a way that makes shopping more convenient or enjoyable rather than simply spinning up a gen AI experience to signal embracing the technology for the sake of participating in the cultural zeitgeist,” Socha said in an email to sister publication Customer Experience Dive.
Transparency is essential to earning consumer trust. Companies that are transparent about their use of generative AI features can ease customers’ concerns as the technology becomes more integrated with their website.
This is in line with Gartner’s research on the subject. Three-quarters of consumers expect disclosure when generative AI is part of an interaction, according to Socha.
