Using an AI assistant and trusting it with a payment are separate decisions. A Visa survey released on September 9, 2026, found that 72% of U.S. respondents had used an AI assistant. Only 23% said they trusted generative AI platforms to manage payments.
Visa’s research release also reported 61% trust in Visa for that payment role. Visa sponsored the research. The comparison measures stated trust in named providers; it does not demonstrate that adding a payment brand to a checkout increases sales.
The Harris Poll surveyed 2,065 U.S. adults from May 26 to May 28, 2026. The payment-trust questions used roughly half of that sample per brand. The assistant-use figure includes uses beyond shopping, so it should not be presented as the percentage of Americans who buy through AI.
For a retailer evaluating an AI checkout, the practical issue is what a buyer is being asked to approve. “Continue with assistant” leaves too much unanswered. A useful purchase review identifies the merchant, exact item, quantity, delivery destination and final total before the buyer confirms.
Suppose a customer orders a two-pack of replacement filters. A buyer should be able to see the compatible appliance model and whether the order is a single purchase or a recurring delivery. If the requested pack is unavailable, substituting another product or changing the quantity deserves a fresh review. An earlier instruction to find filters should not be treated as approval for an unspecified purchase.
Have someone unfamiliar with the pilot read the approval screen and explain what will happen next. Can they identify the total charge and the product they will receive? Can they stop, correct a choice or return to the store’s normal checkout? That exercise can reveal confusing language before the team debates broader adoption forecasts.
The order confirmation needs to carry the same clarity. Give the buyer an order reference and an obvious route to the merchant for delivery, cancellation or return questions. Our guide to scoping an AI shopping pilot helps define a bounded purchase journey before a wider rollout.
Common questions
Does the 72% figure mean most Americans shop through AI?
No. Visa measured whether respondents had used an AI assistant, which includes activities outside shopping.
Does Visa’s higher trust score prove a conversion benefit?
No. The survey reports attitudes. A retailer needs evidence from its own checkout to assess effects on completed orders.
What should a buyer approve before an AI-assisted purchase?
The exact item, merchant, quantity, delivery details and final total should be clear. Recurring purchases and substitutions also need explicit treatment.