A new Omnisend survey of 1,087 Canadian shoppers shows that consumers are increasingly trusting AI to take a larger role in how they shop online. Openness to AI tools handling checkouts is up from 68% to 74% since August 2025, with almost 80% willing to hand over their data for more relevant recommendations.
“In a tight economy, shoppers spend more time proving a purchase is worth it. They compare prices, read reviews, look for better options, and still second-guess at checkout. AI can help reduce the effort it takes to feel confident about spending,” said Bernard Meyer, AI Operations Manager at Omnisend. “It’s no wonder that consumers are being more open to it.”
At the same time, there are lines consumers are not willing to cross, such as AI being used to charge different prices for the same product (66%), said Omnisend.
According to the study, 74% of Canadians are now open to AI taking over final transactions. Though many still want guardrails such as final approval (31%) or limits to small purchases (24%), 19% are mostly or fully comfortable letting AI transact independently. Another 13% would even allow automatic reorders without reviewing them.
Also, 79% admit they would share personal information with AI tools for better product suggestions, including location data (29%) and email receipts (26%).
“Despite rising trust, a majority (89%) still report some level of concern about AI in ecommerce. 46% say they worry most about how their data is collected and used, while others are cautious about AI recommendations being biased (28%) or paid for (30%),” explained Omnisend.
Personalized pricing remains a particularly clear red line. The practice, which uses AI to adjust prices based on a shopper’s behavior, location, or purchase history, has drawn criticism for potentially creating unfair or opaque price differences between customers. 66% say they would disengage from, complain, or leave negative feedback about a retailer that uses AI to tailor prices, said the report.
“AI promises fewer steps between intent and purchase, but the ‘one interface’ future only works if shoppers believe the recommendations are earned, not bought, and that the data behind them won’t be used against them,“ added Meyer.
With 30% of Canadian shoppers intending to use AI more in the future, Meyer advised online retailers to make their websites easier to navigate, adding helpful content that quickly summarizes why their brand stands out and who it’s made for, plus an FAQ. This will help AI find and recommend retailers to shoppers.
“Our data shows consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable letting AI assist with shopping decisions. As that trust grows, AI usage will increase on both sides — people will trust AI on websites more, but also spend less time manually browsing and instead delegating the work to AI agents that can compare products and surface the best option instantly. For ecommerce brands, that means preparing for a future where they’re selling not just to people, but also to the AI systems acting on their behalf.”
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