86% of Aussies now use AI for shopping - but businesses need to keep their trust

86% of Aussies now use AI for shopping – but businesses need to keep their trust

By Lana Hallowes October 13, 2025 2:04 pm

A smiling woman buys a product from her laptop with the help of Ai

Image Adobe Stock

Artificial intelligence is a big part of how Australians shop online. A staggering 86 per cent of Australian consumers have used AI shopping tools in the past three months, according to Klaviyo’s 2025 AI Shopping Index – which surveyed 1,000 Aussie consumers.

Online shoppers are turning to AI to find the best deals (40 percent), save time (17 per cent), and receive personalised recommendations (13 per cent), three in five also expect AI shopping assistants to be standard by 2026 .

While AI is now heading into the mainstream shopping territory, Klaviyo’s report reveals trust now hinges on transparent data use and the option to escalate to a human.

Businesses and brands need to take note.

AI trust is key

“Hi, I’m Sage, your AI helper. I can answer any questions you have about our products and services.”

Sound familiar? Categories such as travel, beauty, and entertainment are leading the way in AI assistance in everyday purchasing.

But while Aussie consumers are flocking to AI to help them shop, they’re still wary of it when brands use it themselves.

The research shows the fastest way for a brand to lose consumer trust is by misusing personal data for AI – 37 per cent. This is followed by a failure to escalate to a human when needed, indicating that retailers will need to be strategic when thinking about implementing AI into their operations.

With major shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday fast approaching – and 51 per cent of Aussies already planning to use AI for shopping during these sales – brands will need to strike a careful balance between automation and personal service.

From novelty to necessity

What was once a nice-to-have is quickly becoming a consumer expectation. According to the research, three in five Australians believe AI shopping assistants will be a standard part of online shopping by 2026.

But the stakes are high: over 75 per cent of responders say they’ve abandoned a purchase because they couldn’t get quick answers to their questions.

Looking ahead, shoppers want AI to do more than just assist – they want it to help them find and compare products (46 per cent), stick to a budget (42 per cent), and even suggest full outfits (30 per cent). This sentiment leaves retailers with a significant opportunity to invest in AI tech to match increased brand expectations.

Beyond the shopping cart

Confidence in using AI is growing, even for complex interactions once reserved for humans.

Consumers are also growing more comfortable with using AI after the sale is complete. While simple tasks like instant answers to product questions (62 per cent) remain the top use case, nearly nine in ten Australians say they’re open to using AI for order tracking or delivery updates, and 72 per cent would be comfortable with AI escalating customer support issues.

AI is rewriting the retail playbook

“Four out of five consumers have already used AI for shopping in the last three months. That’s a massive shift in behaviour, and it’s just the beginning,” said Andrew Bialecki, co-founder and CEO of Klaviyo.

“We’re seeing more and more consumers starting to want to use AI agents for more complex tasks like managing returns or resolving post-purchase issues.

“The entire playbook for online shopping is being rewritten and we’re quickly moving toward a future where AI will power the entire customer journey, making it faster, more personal, and nearly effortless.”

Looking toward 2030, the top thing shoppers want from AI is simple: save them money (40 per cent).

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