A research study from Checkout.com highlights a striking disconnect in the evolving ecosystem of digital commerce: consumers are increasingly eager to embrace AI-driven shopping, but significant hurdles around trust, control, and infrastructure remain. Released this month, the research report titled Agentic Commerce 2026: The State of Consumer Demand and Merchant Readiness underscores how expectations are outpacing preparedness across key markets.
According to the research, roughly one-third (33%) of consumers anticipate that at least 10% of their purchases will be handled by AI within the next year.
Merchants in the UK and US are acutely aware of this momentum, with 72% believing that shoppers will embrace agent-led experiences more quickly than most businesses can support.
While retailers foresee shifts in areas like product discovery, payment processing, and user verification, they acknowledge that broader ecosystem elements—such as standardized protocols, liability frameworks, and robust security—are still maturing.
This mismatch creates both an expectations gap and a pronounced trust deficit. Although many consumers see value in AI agents automating routine buys, hesitation persists.
One in four (24%) flatly state they will never hand over purchasing decisions to AI, and 27% indicate they do not trust any single organization to manage such agents on their behalf.
The findings emphasize that willingness to delegate spending hinges on strong safeguards, including clear permission settings and straightforward revocation options.
Survey participants across six markets specified an average comfort level of £177 per transaction without needing extra approvals—slightly below what merchants in the UK and US estimated (£200).
Key requirements for building confidence include spending limits (cited by 30%), immediate permission revocation (29%), and simple cancellation processes (28%).
Notably, 75% of merchants agree that real-time revocation capabilities will prove essential for widespread adoption.
Convenience emerges as the primary driver.
About 25% of respondents view time savings as the top benefit of AI shopping agents, while 20% are motivated by the prospect of never missing optimal deals.
As a result, agentic commerce is expected to gain traction first in low-stakes, repetitive categories: 41% of consumers are open to AI handling grocery shopping, and 31% for household essentials.
In contrast, only 15% would delegate high-consideration areas like financial services—creating a divergence from merchant expectations, which lean toward more complex purchases initially.
The technology also threatens to disrupt traditional brand loyalty.
Over half (57%) of consumers would permit their AI agent to switch brands for better value, signaling changes in how discovery, comparison, and selection occur.
Currently, merchants report that just 3% of transactions involve AI agents, yet 89% are actively gearing up for the shift.
Rory O’Neill, CMO at Checkout.com, commented:
“Agentic commerce is transitioning swiftly from theory to practice. Consumers are starting to test AI for everyday needs, and the industry is collaborating on the necessary protocols and standards.”
As agentic commerce evolves, success will most likely depend on strategically balancing responsible innovation with greater reliability.