Will GenAI ‘Become the Consumer,’ Acting as a Second Self When Buying on One’s Behalf?

Generative AI, or GenAI, is a nonstop topic of conversation in the retail business, whether the conversation dwells upon the recent rise of agentic artificial intelligence or the increasing abilities of AI to streamline supply chain operations.

Now, according to a recent and provocative Accenture survey, it appears that further discussions may be worthwhile: Namely, what happens if (or when) AI software moves from being a guide, to a companion, to a representative of a “friend” worthy of acting on an individual consumer’s behalf when it comes to purchasing decisions.

That’s precisely the question posed by Accenture in their study — titled “Me, my brand and AI: The new world of consumer engagement” —which leads with a few interesting statistics:

• Generative AI is becoming commonplace, with 72% of those polled (over 18,000 respondents hailing from 14 nations) saying that they regularly utilize related tools.
• Nearly all (94%) of active GenAI users have or would consider asking these tools for help with personal development goals.
• Only a slightly lower, yet strong, majority (87%) of respondents indicated that they would query the GenAI tools for social and relationship advice.
• More than one-third (36%) of those active GenAI users surveyed said they consider the tech a “good friend.”
• Almost one-in-10 consumers polled (9%) rank GenAI as their No. 1 source of reference when deciding what to purchase.

GenAI Outpacing Social Media and Friends and Family as a Source of Consumer Purchase Recommendations

While it should be mentioned that many metrics quoted involve active GenAI users, a demographic label that not all consumers can currently claim, the numbers presented by the study remain intriguing.

Accenture framed the GenAI journey in commerce as analogous to a trusted “friend,” in three particular modes: as a trusted guide, as a loyal companion, and as one’s “second self.”

In terms of being a guide, the data indicated that GenAI was now second only to the percentage of active users who preferred a physical store visit for recommendations (19%), coming in just below that figure at 18%. Other prominent channels for product recommendations followed in suit, from social media (15%) and friends and family (13%) to search engines (11%) and brand websites or apps (10%).

“One in two users have already informed a purchase decision using GenAI, making it the fastest-growing source for recommendations and advice in the past year,” the study authors wrote.

The crux of the second mode, of AI being a loyal companion, lies in improving AI’s ability to “feel human,” offering an authentic “personality.”

“Consumers distrust AI-generated content lacking authenticity (41%) and personability (45%),” the authors continued.

Agentic GenAI: A ‘Zero-Touch’ Engagement Paradigm?

Likely the most interesting dynamic brought forth by the survey was the notion of agentic AI replacing consumer touchpoints in part, or even in whole.

“Consumers are ready for AI agents to purchase on their behalf, with 75% open to using a trusted AI-powered personal shopper that understands their needs,” the study proclaimed.

The authors indicated that with bot-to-bot transactions and AI agents proactively acting on behalf of users’ purchasing instructions, AI is positioning itself as the ultimate decision-maker in tasks previously led by humans — such as product comparison, checkout, and post-purchase support.

The solution offered up? “Prepare for ‘zero-touch’ engagement,” according to the study authors at Accenture.

Cornerstone strategies suggested included prioritizing experiential and emotional value — giving you an advantage beyond hard metrics like price and product specs and helping you stand out from AI-commoditized transactions — while (somewhat paradoxically) also embracing AI integration wherever possible.

“Brands should strive to build, or integrate into, an AI ecosystem that transcends single-brand silos,” the authors concluded.