One mistake is all it takes for shoppers to abandon AI agents

The survey of over 2,000 UK adults highlights a stark divide in consumer sentiment. While 55% of respondents feel comfortable relying on human experts for purchasing decisions, only 19% express similar faith in AI agents. Even when users pre-define the rules for these systems, 69% remain skeptical of the technology's reliability.

Adriana Iordan, head of merchant and payments intelligence at ACI Worldwide, frames this as a fundamental trust gap rather than a technical limitation. For mass adoption to occur, the industry must shift its focus from pure capability to consumer safeguards, such as explicit approval protocols and hard spending limits. The data also underscores shifting expectations regarding accountability: 54% of consumers believe AI developers should bear the financial burden for incorrect purchases, significantly outpacing those who would hold retailers or banks responsible.