TLDRs
- 53% of APAC consumers now use AI for shopping assistance and recommendations.
- Brands lag behind consumers due to data and infrastructure challenges.
- Trust issues remain critical, with many users preferring human fallback options.
- Adobe, Salesforce, and Shopify expand AI commerce tools across retail ecosystems.
The rapid rise of AI-powered shopping across Asia Pacific is reshaping how consumers interact with brands, even as companies struggle to keep pace with deployment and trust challenges. Adobe’s latest research highlights a widening gap between consumer behavior and enterprise readiness, signaling both a major growth opportunity and a potential friction point for the digital commerce industry.
Consumer AI Adoption Accelerates
According to Adobe’s 2026 AI and Digital Trends Report, co-produced with Oxford Economics, AI adoption in shopping-related activities has surged significantly across the Asia Pacific region. The study found that 53% of consumers already use AI tools for tasks such as personalized product recommendations, customer support interactions, and AI-assisted purchasing decisions.
This shift suggests that AI is no longer a niche enhancement but an increasingly mainstream part of the digital shopping experience. Consumers are leaning on AI systems to simplify decision-making, compare products, and receive faster support, especially in mobile-first markets across APAC.
However, Adobe notes that many businesses are still catching up. While consumers rapidly integrate AI into everyday shopping, enterprise adoption remains uneven due to persistent challenges in data integration, system compatibility, and data quality management.
Brands Struggle to Keep Up
Despite rising consumer demand, only 14% of brands surveyed have begun deploying AI tools across core retail functions such as customer support, search, and product discovery. This highlights a significant mismatch between consumer expectations and current business capabilities.
Many companies are still in early stages of experimentation rather than full-scale deployment. The report suggests that organizations are often constrained by fragmented data systems and limited AI infrastructure, slowing their ability to deliver seamless AI-driven experiences.
As a result, while consumers increasingly expect real-time AI assistance during shopping journeys, many brands are unable to provide consistent or fully integrated solutions across platforms.
Trust Remains a Key Barrier
One of the most critical challenges highlighted in the report is consumer trust. While AI adoption is rising, users remain cautious about how and when AI is used in customer interactions.
The study found that 26% of consumers want the ability to switch to a human agent as a key reassurance when interacting with AI systems. Additionally, 38% of respondents said they would disengage completely if they discovered they were speaking to an AI when they expected a human representative.
This indicates that transparency and control are central to user acceptance. Even as AI becomes more sophisticated, consumers still value human oversight and clarity in digital interactions, especially in customer service scenarios.
Tech Giants Push AI Commerce
The growing demand for AI-enabled shopping tools is pushing major technology companies to expand their offerings. Firms such as Adobe, Salesforce, and Shopify are actively scaling AI-driven solutions designed to enhance customer support, streamline product discovery, and personalize shopping experiences for retailers.
These platforms are positioning AI as a foundational layer of future commerce systems, enabling businesses to automate engagement while improving efficiency and conversion rates.
However, the success of these tools will depend heavily on how well companies address the trust gap and data infrastructure challenges currently limiting widespread adoption.
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