Artificial intelligence as a personal shopper

Online retail is changing faster than ever. Instead of using search engines and shopping portals, more and more consumers are relying on artificial intelligence (AI) when shopping. For example, styling or recipe tips are obtained from AI chatbots before shopping.

AI agents are also on the rise. These autonomous systems can relieve consumers of the task of searching for an item, comparing different products and the actual purchase and payment process. What sounds like a dream of the future is already reality today. “Technologically, such systems are already ready for use,” says Helmut Kosa, sales expert and managing partner at the management consultancy &us, to KURIER.

Austria is behind

The extent to which the AI ​​agents are used depends on how well they work. Overall, Austria is at the bottom of Western countries when it comes to AI use, according to the expert’s assessment. For example, they are significantly behind the Nordic or Baltic states. When Austrians use AI when shopping, it is primarily to save money, according to a survey by the trade association (HV).

The target group plays a major role when using AI agents. This means that companies that appeal to young and technology-savvy customers can develop quickly. According to the HV survey, one in four of Generation Z (born 1995 to 2012) can imagine letting AI agents shop for them in the future. In the total population the proportion is up to 12 percent; among those over 62 it is only five percent.

It is impossible to say how quickly development will actually progress. “It’s all constantly changing,” says Kosa. It is questionable whether platforms like Amazon or Temu will continue to have the same importance as they do today. “It will depend on whether the purchasing process is started on the platform or via an AI system.” The development could bring great opportunities for smaller traders and producers. “But you have to deal with the issue in good time. If you wait too long, you could ultimately be left behind,” says Kosa.

Like online marketplaces, classic search engines such as Google would come under pressure from the growing importance of AI. “They had a unique selling point and their business model depends on it. Now when it comes to AI, they are just one of many and there are other players in the market who are already further ahead.”

As practical as AI systems are, they can also pose dangers. Kosa warns, for example in the form of fraudulent fake shops that the AI ​​does not recognize as such. The topic is a challenge for the developers – but also for consumers: “Users must not blindly rely on the AI, but must check the results.”