AI agents will be our shopping guides by 2026, and Gen Z is already there

Picture this: you want a pair of Balenciaga black boots. You open Google and type “Balenciaga boots black”, and begin the routine: endless results, tabs, filters, sizes, prices… scroll, compare, doubt, repeat.

This is what shopping experience has become: product choice explodes, while consumer attention collapses. Searches feel time-consuming, customer journeys stretch longer and longer, conversion rates fall, and brands keep paying for every click and impression while shoppers get stuck in decision paralysis.

Now imagine the same moment in 2026. You want that exact same pair of boots, but shopping no longer starts with the search bar. It starts with a conversation with your AI agent.

A clear example of this: OpenAI has effectively become one of retail’s biggest competitors with the launch of a shopping agent inside ChatGPT. Consumers can shop directly on ChatGPT, receive personalised weekly shortlists based on what they bought while saving hours of scrolling. The AI does the comparison for you.

But here’s the key difference between one another: ChatGPT is not Google. You can’t buy placement, and you can’t SEO your way to the top.

AI selects brands based on clarity which is exactly why Glossier and Skims were the first to launch on ChatGPT. Each brand can be explained in one clean sentence, so the AI understands exactly who they’re for and when to recommend them.

Gen Z is leading the shift in shopping behaviour

This change in behaviour is already happening. Google Trends shows searches for terms like “AI shopping” and “shopping agent” increased by 1900% between May and December 2025 (graph below), signalling a clear rise in consumer awareness and intent. Shoppers are no longer just searching for products, they are actively seeking guidance.

At the same time, broader consumer trust is shifting. The 2026 McKinsey x Business of Fashion report shows that 41 percent of consumers trust generative AI search results more than traditional advertising, and 85 percent report higher satisfaction with AI-assisted shopping journeys compared to conventional ones.

But the real acceleration comes from Gen Z.

According to Vogue Business’ Gen Z Broke the Marketing Funnel report, nearly one in three Gen Z consumers say shopping now feels mindless. Endless scrolling, constant brand messaging and creator-driven selling have turned shopping into noise.

As a result, Gen Z is reshaping how they buy. They chase the thrill of the hunt through resale and vintage. They return to physical retail for experience, not efficiency. They seek advice in smaller, more private digital spaces where recommendations feel personal.

AI as a shopping companion, not a seller

This is where AI agents fit naturally into the picture. The same Vogue report shows that around 60 percent of Gen Z shoppers have already used AI tools to support a purchase, including verifying quality, aggregating reviews or checking whether an item is cheaper elsewhere. For Gen Z, AI is already embedded in the shopping journey acting as a neutral guide.

Early examples already exist. Tools like Phia, a platform that compares prices across marketplaces, or other emerging shopping agents focused on fashion discovery, styling or resale are gaining traction precisely because they solve trust, overload and decision fatigue at once. They don’t push products, they reduce noise and recommend based on behaviour, not brand spend.

What brands need to adapt now

Brands are facing structural challenges and need to adapt quick. AI-powered shopping breaks the logic retail has relied on for decades: there is no paid placement.

AI selects brands based on clarity and confidence. How well a brand can be understood, positioned and matched to a specific need in a single moment now matters more than how much traffic it can buy.

Brands must rethink how they show up inside these conversations. Discovery must feel effortless, not overwhelming. Shopping must feel conversational, not transactional. Sustainability and secondhand must be embedded into the journey, and community must feel cultural, not manufactured.

So the question each brand should ask is: can your brand be explained in one clear sentence?

If not, an AI agent won’t confidently recommend it. And if an AI doesn’t recommend you, you don’t exist.

Sources:
- McKinsey BOF ‘The State of Fashion 2026: When the Rules Change’, November 17, 2025
- Vogue article ‘Gen Z Broke the Marketing Funnel’ report, based on research from Youth Culture agency Archrival.
- Emarketer.com article ‘Gen Z shoppers lead all generations in using AI for purchases’, Emarketer editors, Dec 4, 2025.