Business Wire·Jun 30, 2026, 4:05 PM ET

New Zeta Global Research Signals the Rise of Agentic Commerce

Zeta Global released new research indicating a shift toward agentic commerce where consumers increasingly trust AI agents to handle purchases & household spending.
Parents with children under 18 are leading this trend with 43% willing to authorize AI to make purchases within a set budget compared to 27% of non-parents.
70% of AI shoppers prefer completing transactions directly on brand websites rather than through AI, suggesting AI currently drives discovery & decision-making rather than the final sale.
54% of consumers would choose a brand's personalized AI experience over a general-purpose tool, rising to 58% among adults ages 18-45.
Electronics is the top category for AI-assisted shopping at 33% overall, while beauty products rank second for women at 20%.
AI usage has reduced research time for 36% of shoppers, decreased return likelihood for 59%, and reduced in-store shopping frequency for 29%.
Brands must optimize for AI recommendation systems & prioritize first-party data to ensure visibility in agentic commerce environments.
The survey involved 2,000 U.S. adults who used AI to make a purchase within the past three months & was conducted in May 2026.