74 Percent of Shoppers Use AI for Discovery

Consumers are increasingly adopting new technologies to help navigate an increasingly complex global shopping landscape, according to research from NIQ. Nearly three-quarters of shoppers are now utilizing artificial intelligence for product discovery, while the retail media market has grown into a $184 billion global industry. These shifts are fundamentally changing the way products are discovered, evaluated, and ultimately purchased.

The research details how AI, retail media networks, and social commerce are transforming the consumer's path to purchase and influencing final buying decisions. It highlights that nearly 75% of shoppers use AI during discovery, with 20% integrating it into the actual shopping process. While nearly a third of Western consumers have bought products after discovering them on social platforms, there is a sharp regional divide: nearly 60% of APAC consumers shop through social and quick-commerce channels, whereas 68% of North American consumers have never purchased through social media.

“Consumers are making purchasing decisions earlier and through more channels than ever before,” said Troy Treangen, Chief AI & Product Officer at NIQ. “AI-powered recommendations, retail media, and social commerce are increasingly influencing which products consumers discover, consider, and ultimately purchase, creating entirely new opportunities—and challenges—for brands.”

According to the study, AI-powered tools are playing an increasingly critical role in helping consumers determine where to trade up or seek value. This shift suggests that AI is becoming one of the most dominant forces in modern commerce, mirroring the traditional reliance on search, reviews, and word-of-mouth recommendations. For manufacturers and retailers, this means that discoverability is now a primary growth factor. Brands that do not optimize their digital shelf presence and product content risk becoming invisible as AI-driven recommendation engines increasingly dictate shopping journeys.