Australians trust AI shopping advice more than retail staff

More than four in five Australians have used an AI assistant such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot for shopping research, with 36% doing so on a regular basis, according to a new study commissioned by Manhattan Associates.

The survey found that nearly half of respondents trust AI recommendations more than advice from in-store sales assistants, while another 29% trust both about the same. Combined, 76% Trust AI at least as much as retail staff.

AI is also becoming a primary research channel for significant purchases. Twenty-three percent of consumers now turn to AI as their first source of information, compared with just 7% who first seek advice from a sales assistant.

Raghav Sibal, Manhattan Associates' vice president for Asia-Pacific, noted that AI is changing what consumers expect from retail staff, underscoring the need for store associates to adapt to a more informed shopper.

Despite AI's growing influence, the findings suggest that retail staff remain part of the purchase journey, with a notable share of Australians still valuing human input alongside machine-generated suggestions.