Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept in retail but a present-day reality, with Australians now outpacing global averages in adopting AI for shopping, according to new research from Klaviyo.
The Klaviyo 2025 AI Shopping Index found that 86 per cent of Australians have used AI tools for online shopping in the past three months, surpassing the global figure by 10 percentage points.
The main reasons for using AI assistants were finding the best deals, saving time, and receiving personalised recommendations, with respondents most comfortable using AI when shopping for travel, beauty, and entertainment products.
While Australians are increasingly relying on AI to help them shop, the research also shows they remain cautious about how brands use the technology. Thirty-seven per cent of respondents said the fastest way for a brand to lose their trust is by misusing personal data for AI, followed by failing to escalate to a human when needed.
This suggests that retailers will need to be careful in implementing AI ahead of major sales events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, where 51 per cent of consumers already express interest in using AI for shopping.
Brand-owned AI assistants have evolved from a novelty into a consumer expectation, with three in five Australians anticipating that AI shopping assistants will be a standard feature of online retail by 2026. The risks of failing to meet this expectation are significant, as more than three in four shoppers admitted to abandoning a purchase because they could not get immediate answers to their questions.
The study also pointed out that Australians want AI shopping assistants to take on greater roles, helping them find and compare products, stick to a budget, and suggest complete outfits. Sixty-two per cent of respondents said they prefer AI for simple tasks such as getting instant answers, while nearly nine in 10 are open to AI managing post-purchase needs like tracking or delivery changes.
Seventy-two per cent are open to AI handling customer support issues, and by 2030, 40 per cent want AI to consistently save them money.
“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.”