Survey of 1,007 U.S. consumers shows AI adoption for product discovery is rising, but shoppers remain reluctant to delegate payments and high-value purchases to AI agents

Wildfire Systems, a loyalty and consumer insights platform, has released its 2026 Consumer Rewards & Behavioral Shopping Trends report, titled Agentic Commerce’s Wallet Problem. Based on a survey of 1,007 U.S. consumers, the report identifies a growing gap between consumers’ willingness to use artificial intelligence (AI) for product research and deal discovery and their readiness to let AI agents complete purchases independently.

The findings suggest that AI is becoming a more common shopping tool, but payment security, trust and control remain significant barriers to the broader adoption of agentic commerce.

The results align with wider industry research. Mastercard’s Signals research found that 85% of consumers are open to working with an AI agent to find the best option, while only one in 10 are willing to let an agent complete a purchase autonomously.

The industry is also adjusting to consumer expectations. In March, OpenAI shifted its shopping strategy toward product discovery and merchant-operated checkout experiences, citing a need for greater flexibility for merchants.

AI Shopping Adoption Outpaces Payment Trust

Wildfire’s survey found that 71% of U.S. consumers now use AI chatbots, compared with 22% two years ago. Among AI users, 56% use the technology to compare prices, while 44% use it to find deals.

However, consumers are considerably less comfortable allowing AI platforms to handle payments. Only 5% said they would trust an AI platform itself to process an AI agent’s payment, while 41% said they would trust none of the payment options presented in the survey.

Banks ranked as the most trusted named payment option, at 17%, followed by digital wallets at 14%. Credit card networks and major retailers each received 12%.

The findings highlight a key challenge for businesses developing agentic commerce solutions: helping consumers discover products through AI may be easier than convincing them to hand over control of the checkout process.

Consumers Prefer Low-Cost, Routine AI Purchases

The survey suggests that consumer comfort with AI-led transactions depends heavily on purchase value.

Twenty-nine percent of respondents said they were very comfortable allowing an AI agent to make a purchase costing less than $20. That figure dropped to 6% for purchases of $500 or more.

Product category also influenced willingness to delegate. Twenty-three percent were very comfortable allowing an AI agent to purchase toiletries or household essentials, compared with 17% for airfare or hotel bookings.

These results suggest that agentic commerce may initially gain traction through routine, lower-value transactions before expanding into more expensive or consequential purchases.

Economic Pressures Drive AI-Powered Deal Hunting

Financial considerations are another important factor shaping AI shopping behavior.

Among AI users, 56% said economic conditions had made them more interested in using AI to find deals. The proportion rose to 78% among households with children under 13.

When asked why they would delegate shopping to an AI agent, 45% identified getting better deals as their primary motivation, ahead of saving time, cited by 37%.

The findings position price comparison, promotions and savings discovery as potential entry points for AI-powered shopping services, particularly as consumers remain focused on managing household expenses.

Loyalty Rewards and Cashback Could Encourage AI Checkout

Familiar financial benefits may help reduce consumer hesitation about completing purchases through AI platforms.

According to the survey, 38% of respondents said carrying loyalty rewards through to an AI-driven purchase would make them more comfortable buying directly through AI. Another 36% cited cashback as a factor that could increase their willingness to transact.

These incentives ranked ahead of an AI platform’s money-back guarantee, cited by 29%, and fraud protection, cited by 27%.

The results indicate that integrating established rewards and savings programs into AI-driven purchasing experiences could be an important way to build consumer confidence and encourage adoption.

Trust Becomes a Key Challenge for Agentic Commerce

Wildfire’s report concludes that agentic commerce is likely to develop incrementally, beginning with lower-cost, everyday purchases before expanding into higher-value transactions.

As AI agents take on more shopping tasks, payment providers, retailers and technology platforms will need to address consumer concerns about transaction control and establish clear reasons for shoppers to trust automated purchasing systems.

“Consumers are already comfortable letting AI influence the shopping decision; they’re far less settled on who should control the payment,” said Tristan Barnum, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of AI Innovation at Wildfire Systems. He added that the trust layer, rather than product discovery, is becoming a central question for the future of agentic commerce.

The findings suggest that the next phase of adoption will depend not only on AI capabilities, but also on whether payment experiences can preserve familiar consumer protections, rewards and a sense of control.