What We Lose When Artificial Intelligence Does Our Shopping
Published April 23, 2026 | By Mark Bartholomew and Samuel Becher
Americans spend many hours shopping. They spend more time shopping than on school, volunteering, or phone calls. Today, machines change how we shop. Big stores and websites race to add AI to the process. AI now picks products, searches inventories, and even finalizes purchases. These AI agents work quickly and with ease. Yet, when we give control to machines, we worry about the cost.
The Rise of AI Shopping Assistants
AI agents now search stocks, recommend products, and complete sales. For example, Amazon uses Rufus and Walmart uses its own AI helper. Carts with AI and assistants named Sparky or Ralph are set to change shopping. Companies say we must get ready for shops led by “agentic AI shopping.”
Many customers do try AI help. Yet, a Bain & Company survey shows shoppers hesitate to let AI finish sales on their behalf. Shoppers share data only if they trust the system. They want to feel in full control. When AI advice is unclear, trust and satisfaction drop.
Privacy and Autonomy: The Core Concerns
Customers worry about privacy. They share personal and bank data with AI. They fear who sees their data. More than data, shoppers want the steering wheel. They need clear reasons for AI suggestions. Studies show that when answers hide behind code, people back away.
In tests of travel booking, consumers choose options that oppose their own words. They push back when AI makes settings too clear. As shoppers lose a sense of control, they also lose faith in AI.
When AI Succeeds Too Well
Early AI tools have glitches. One machine even stocked a live fish by mistake. Another AI took too long to add eggs. Today, the worry is not mistakes but smart success. AI helps companies guide what you buy. It also lifts sales and cuts returns.
For example, Mastercard’s AI, Shopping Muse, raises sale rates by 15–20% over past methods. Salesforce also shows AI that upsells with ease. This work helps profit margins. Yet, it makes many wonder: Do these systems give back control or only serve the companies?
The Human Elements at Risk
AI agents save time. They scan stock lists in seconds, spot good deals, track discounts, and even read long fine print. But shopping is not just a trade.
Buying inspires excitement. Many feel joy between a purchase and its arrival. People dream about trips, outfits, or meals. This spark might fade with quicker buying.
Shoppers express values by their choices. Many choose products for ethics—fair trade, kind practices, or green policies. What you buy can speak of who you are. When AI makes choices, it may strip away that self-expression.
Shopping also brings people together. It builds bonds when friends stroll stores or when you talk with a clerk. Choosing a gift shows care and thought. Outsourcing these acts to AI can lessen the warm touch of human choice.
Regulating AI Shopping for Human Flourishing
AI joins commerce fast. Rules and guides soon follow. Transparency is now a goal. People want to know of any hidden bias in AI choices. The European Union sets plans for clear AI decisions, while delays remain. In the United States, lawmakers debate if firms must show how their AI learns.
Shoppers want the option to choose how they use AI. They need clear choices, not just a fast machine. The big question remains: Can AI help us while keeping our human values? Or will it serve only corporate profit?
Mark Bartholomew is Professor of Law at the University at Buffalo. Samuel Becher is Professor of Law at Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington. The authors have no affiliations or financial interests in AI companies discussed.
This article originally appeared on The Conversation.
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