Agentic commerce to transform shopping as consumer trust rises

Christmas 2025 may be remembered as the moment agentic commerce truly entered the mainstream, with new research from Checkout.com signalling a decisive shift toward agentic AI.

Agentic commerce to transform shopping

Nearly half of consumers surveyed say they expect to use an AI agent to support their festive purchasing this year — a striking indication that the technology is moving from curiosity to habit at one of retail’s most emotionally and financially intense periods.

This emerging behaviour reflects a broader shift in how consumers navigate the complexities of peak-season spending.

A third of respondents already leaned on AI tools during Black Friday, suggesting that high-pressure retail events are becoming proving grounds for intelligent automation.

Millennials Lead the Charge

Younger demographics are accelerating this transformation.

Among Millennials, 72% say they are comfortable allowing an AI agent to make purchases on their behalf, and 70% have already used AI to help choose gifts for a partner.

Older cohorts remain more cautious — only one in four consumers aged 55 and above would trust an agent with a purchase — but the generational tilt suggests long-term structural change.

Gift selection appears to be the gateway use case.

Almost half of all respondents have used AI to generate ideas for presents, and a quarter now rely on digital agents for product reviews or inspiration.

The trend extends widely: family, friends, partners and even workplace gift exchanges are increasingly subject to algorithmic assistance.

For many, the appeal is practical. AI tools promise to secure the best price (cited by 33% of users), prevent overspending (30%), and save time during the busiest retail period (27%).

From Christmas to Everyday Commerce

The implications extend well beyond the festive season.

Checkout.com’s research points to 2026 as the year in which agentic AI begins to manage routine, high-frequency purchases.

Fifteen per cent of consumers would already trust an AI agent to complete their weekly food shop, while nearly one in five would delegate everyday household items such as toiletries or cleaning products.

Almost half of all respondents — and two-thirds of those aged 25–44 — are ready to offload repetitive, low-engagement buying decisions to intelligent systems.

Rory O’Neill, Checkout.com’s CMO, argues that this turning point is both behavioural and economic.

With consumers expecting AI to manage more than a fifth of their monthly spending within five years, the conditions are forming for agentic commerce to become a routine utility rather than a novelty.

Guardrails Needed as Consumers Seek Control

Yet adoption is not without anxiety.

Forty-two per cent of consumers fear losing control over what an AI might purchase, and more than a quarter express concerns about opaque decision-making.

Checkout.com says it is working with card networks and global technology partners to embed safeguards that ensure transparency and maintain consumer trust.

As automated purchasing shifts from festive convenience to everyday necessity, the winners in 2026 will be those payments players able to pair intelligent autonomy with reliability, accountability and clear user oversight — the fundamentals on which agentic commerce must be built.