AI is taking an active role in how Europeans buy online, with consumers delegating tasks like deal-hunting, auto-reordering, and building carts by set criteria, and about 38% already using generative AI to research products and decide, according to McKinsey. Its report projects e-commerce in Europe's five biggest markets growing 6% a year to reach 600 billion euros by 2029. PSE Consulting separately surveyed 4,250 AI-using shoppers and found 74% prefer an independent AI assistant like ChatGPT over one embedded in a store. Notably, 90% expect their marketplace use to hold steady or rise as AI adoption grows, with PSE's Chris Jones arguing consumers now treat discovery and execution as separate stages, using AI to sort through choice but still leaning on marketplaces for payments, logistics, and trust.
