Worldpay research flags rise of smart online shopping bots as many Brits turn to AI assistants

As Brits prepare to hunt down Black Friday deals, many are ready to let AI do the legwork, according to research from Worldpay. From finding the lowest prices to picking products that match your style, smart shopping bots could soon be helping us spend billions online, the company claims.

AI shopping assistants might still be new, but Brits are already warming to the idea. One in three of the 2,000 UK shoppers surveyed would be happy to have a smart bot browse on their behalf - and that jumps to 45% among younger shoppers aged 18 to 34.

Fast forward to 2030, and shoppers expect around 7% of their total online purchases to be made this way meaning AI agents could be behind as much as £29 billion of online spending.

According to Worldpay, 61% of Brits would want an AI assistant that helps balance and quality, while 60% said they would rely on an AI agent to hunt down the lowest prices. 43% say they’d like their AI to tailor picks to their personal tastes.

Many shoppers want their AI to reflect their values too. A third say they’d like their digital assistant to favour trusted brands, while others want it to look for loyalty rewards (31%) or choose products that are ethically or sustainably sourced (23%).

That said, most Brits aren’t ready to hand over full control of their purchases to AI just yet.

• To feel comfortable, 60% want to review every purchase before it goes through.

• Additionally, 58% say they’d like the option to cancel a purchase within 24 hours.

• Only 6% would trust an AI to buy automatically without checking in first, indicating that people still want the final say before money leaves their account.

To make shopping feel safer, consumers are looking for specific guardrails:

• 54% say fraud protection is essential.

• 46% want the ability to set spending limits.

• 44% say it’s important to speak to a real person if something goes wrong.

 RTIH AI in Retail Awards

RTIH proudly presents the first edition of its AI in Retail Awards, sponsored by 3D Cloud and EdTech Innovation Hub.

This is now open for entries. Deadline for submissions is Friday, 5th December. It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.

Check out categories and entry forms here.

As we witness a digital transformation revolution across all channels, AI tools are reshaping the omnichannel game, from personalising customer experiences to optimising inventory, uncovering insights into consumer behaviour, and enhancing the human element of retailers' businesses.

With 2025 set to be the year when AI and especially gen AI shake off the ‘heavily hyped’ tag and become embedded in retail business processes, our newly launched awards celebrate global technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world and the resulting benefits for retailers, shoppers and employees.

Our 2025 winners will be those companies who not only recognise the potential of AI, but also make it usable in everyday work - resulting in more efficiency and innovation in all areas.

Winners will be announced at an evening event at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 29th January. This will kick off with a drinks reception in the stunning Conservatory, followed by a three course meal, and awards ceremony in the Garden Room.