Recent survey shows: Germans want AI co-pilots when shopping, but not autopilots
- How German consumers feel about AI when shopping
- Where they see benefits, and where they draw the line
- What this means for retailers
Berlin, February 27, 2026 – Artificial intelligence in everyday life? Yes, but with a seatbelt. A recent representative survey conducted by the opinion research institute Insa on behalf of Unzer* shows that, while German consumers welcome support from AI, they clearly reject fully autonomous purchasing decisions.
Assistance instead of autonomy: Germans want to retain control
37% of respondents (cumulative) consider it likely that they would use AI-based shopping assistants (25% 'somewhat likely', 12% 'very likely'). At the same time, a clear age-related trend emerges: while 38 per cent of 18- to 29-year-olds and only 34 per cent of 30- to 39-year-olds are sceptical about AI shopping assistants, this proportion steadily increases with age, reaching 75 per cent among those aged 70 and over. A clear pattern also emerges when comparing the sexes: women are significantly more cautious about AI assistants than men (57% vs 52%), while men are more open to them. 41% consider using them likely, compared to 32% of women.
The survey shows that Germany is ready for AI in retail, provided that it remains transparent, secure and controllable. AI will act as the customer's co-pilot, rather than replacing them.
Pascal Beij, Chief Commercial Officer at Unzer
At the same time, 51–65% of consumers want AI to make shopping easier by saving time, finding suitable products, or identifying cheap offers (51% for suitable products and 65% for cheap offers, depending on the statement). However, one point is clear across all age groups: 64 per cent insist that every step must be confirmed by the buyer before a purchase is completed. The result: Germans want AI as a co-pilot, not an autopilot.
Acceptance of agentic AI in everyday life is limited to routines rather than major purchasing decisions
When asked how they would use agentic shopping assistants, consumers revealed a clear pattern:
- 22% for recurring purchases (e.g. cleaning products)
- 21% for groceries
- 19% for clothing
- 18% for gifts
- 14% for insurance or financial services
- 12% for subscriptions
It is clear that widespread acceptance of autonomous shopping will not begin with insurance, financial products or major purchases, but with daily routine tasks. For retailers, this means that AI-supported automation will initially establish itself in areas where it demonstrably lightens the load for consumers.
The survey shows that, as long as they make the final decision themselves, consumers are very open to modern, digital shopping experiences. AI should support, personalise and simplify, but not act autonomously. This confirms our approach at Unzer: companies need solutions that combine security, transparency and convenience. AI becomes a co-pilot — only acting as an autopilot where customers really want it to," says Pascal Beji, Unzer's Chief Commercial Officer.
* Online survey conducted from 22 to 23 January 2026 with 1,004 people in Germany aged 18 and over.
About Unzer
Unzer helps companies go digital with simple and integrated payment and software solutions. Whether it’s shopping in-store, on mobile or online, or handling payments and daily business tasks, Unzer offers everything businesses need in one place – an ecosystem that makes retail simpler, more efficient and seamless for consumers.
More than 85,000 merchants across Europe already use Unzer's ecosystem. The company employs around 750 people in eight offices in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Luxembourg.