What: More than 70% of consumers are willing to complete purchases inside AI chat apps, signaling a major shift in retail engagement.

Why it is important: This shift mirrors recent industry data showing that conversational AI is now a decisive channel for customer engagement and sales.

A new global study by Valtech reveals that conversational AI is fundamentally transforming retail engagement, with over 70% of consumers now open to completing purchases directly within AI chat apps. The research, based on a survey of more than 1,000 digitally active consumers across Europe, the US, and Asia-Pacific, highlights the mainstream adoption of AI chat environments for both shopping and support. Nearly a third of respondents now prefer to begin their shopping or support journeys in AI chat apps, a figure on par with traditional search engines. The study also finds that brands with official, trusted AI presences enjoy a clear competitive advantage, as 42.8% of consumers would choose such brands over others, while nearly 20% would switch or abandon a task if their preferred AI environment lacks an official agent. Despite this momentum, trust remains a barrier, with concerns about payment security and privacy cited by over half of respondents. The findings underscore the urgent need for brands to orchestrate seamless, trustworthy conversational experiences as consumer expectations rapidly evolve.

IADS Notes: The Valtech study’s findings on the mainstream adoption of conversational AI in commerce are strongly echoed by recent industry developments, which reveal a sector-wide transformation driven by agentic AI and conversational agents. As highlighted in February 2026, BCG and ElevenLabs’ partnership underscores the rapid shift toward hyperpersonalized, multichannel engagement, with 71% of retail employees now using AI tools weekly and leading retailers reporting up to 30% gains in customer service performance. This aligns with the exponential growth in AI-driven retail traffic and the urgent need for brands to redesign digital platforms for AI compatibility, as documented in January 2026 by Journal du Net. The competitive imperative for brands to establish trusted AI presences is further reinforced by BCG’s January 2026 analysis, which notes a 35% surge in shopping-related GenAI use and the growing influence of AI as a trusted consumer touchpoint. At the same time, the importance of trust, payment security, and privacy is underscored by Journal du Net’s September 2025 coverage, emphasizing the need for transparency and responsible AI use. Finally, the evolution toward seamless, omnichannel conversational experiences is exemplified by Liverpool’s deployment of agentic AI in November 2025, setting new standards for operational agility and customer satisfaction.

Conversational AI is becoming the new front door to commerce

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