New NIQ & World Data Lab report reveals how AI, retail media, and social commerce are transforming the consumer purchase journey
Consumers are increasingly turning to new technologies to help navigate a more complex shopping landscape. Nearly three-quarters of shoppers now use AI for product discovery, while retail media has grown into a $184 billion global market. Together, these shifts are reshaping how products are discovered, evaluated, and ultimately purchased.
As consumers become increasingly selective about where they trade up and where they seek value, AI and retail media are helping brands identify which consumers are most likely to respond to premium messaging, promotions, and personalized offers.
NIQ has released A Tale of Two Consumers: The Polarized Mindsets Reshaping Global Consumption, a new global report in collaboration with World Data Lab showing how artificial intelligence, retail media networks, and social commerce are transforming the path to purchase and influencing which products consumers ultimately buy.
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The findings build on NIQ’s recently released The Commerce Revolution: Where East Meets West, which identified the convergence of Eastern commerce innovation and Western retail media monetization as a defining force reshaping global retail. Together, the reports reveal a future in which commerce intelligence becomes essential for growth.
Key findings from these reports include:
- Nearly 75% of shoppers use AI during product discovery
- 20% of consumers already use AI as part of the shopping process
- Nearly one-third of Western consumers have purchased a product after discovering it on a social platform
- Nearly 60% of APAC consumers shop through social and quick-commerce channels
- 68% of North American consumers have never purchased through social media
“Consumers are making purchasing decisions earlier and through more channels than ever before,” said Troy Treangen, Chief AI & Product Officer at NIQ. “AI-powered recommendations, retail media, and social commerce are increasingly influencing which products consumers discover, consider, and ultimately purchase, creating entirely new opportunities—and challenges—for brands.”
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According to the report, AI-powered tools are increasingly helping consumers determine where to trade up, where to save, and which brands deserve consideration. The findings suggest that AI is becoming one of the most influential forces in modern commerce, as consumers have long relied on search, reviews, and word-of-mouth recommendations to guide purchases.
This shift creates both opportunities and challenges for manufacturers and retailers. As AI-powered recommendations become more personalized, discoverability is becoming a critical growth factor. Brands that fail to optimize product content, digital shelf presence, and visibility risk becoming less visible as AI agents and recommendation engines play a larger role in shopping journeys.
As consumers become increasingly selective about where they trade up and where they seek value, AI and retail media are helping brands identify which consumers are most likely to respond to premium messaging, promotions, and personalized offers.
