How to Protect Your Privacy When AI Helps You Shop
It’s convenient, but your data is on the line. Here’s what you can do about it.
Intro
AI shopping assistants are appearing everywhere. Amazon’s Rufus, Google’s Shopping AI, and dozens of third‑party plug‑ins now offer to find deals, compare products, and even predict what you’ll want next. Yet a recent eMarketer study confirms what many shoppers already suspect: data privacy is the single biggest fear people have about using these tools—by far.
If you’ve ever hesitated before clicking “allow” on a chatbot’s permission request or wondered what happens to the browsing history you just shared, you’re not alone. The convenience is real, but so are the risks. Here’s a look at how AI shopping tools collect your information, and—more importantly—what you can do to keep your privacy intact.
What happened
According to the eMarketer research (published May 2026), consumers shopping with AI assistants consistently rank data privacy as their top worry. No other concern—not accuracy, not speed, not even cost—came close. While the exact percentage varies by survey, the finding is clear: people are uneasy about how much personal data these tools gather.
Most AI shopping tools work by tracking your search history, product views, purchase patterns, and sometimes even your location and payment information. The data feeds machine‑learning models that personalize recommendations, but it also flows into advertising profiles, analytics systems, and—in many cases—third‑party data brokers.
Common tools that do this include:
- Amazon Rufus – an AI chatbot built into the Amazon app that uses your shopping history to answer questions.
- Google Shopping AI – which personalises product results based on your search history and Google account data.
- Retail‑specific assistants – many large retailers have launched their own chatbots.
Why it matters
The worry isn’t hypothetical. When you use an AI shopping assistant, you’re often giving it permission to read your current session, past orders, and even linked accounts. That data can be used to build a detailed profile of your spending habits, income level, household size, and personal preferences.
If that profile is sold or shared, you could end up with targeted ads that feel uncomfortably specific—or worse, with your data exposed in a breach. The more data you hand over, the harder it is to control where it ends up.
On top of that, many AI shopping tools are still new, and their privacy policies are often vague. Some allow themselves to share data with “affiliates” or “partners” you’ve never heard of. Others retain your conversations indefinitely.
What readers can do
You don’t have to give up the convenience. Here are five practical steps you can take right now to limit data collection while still using AI shopping tools.
1. Use guest checkout whenever possible
Most AI shopping assistants work fine without you being logged into an account. Avoid creating a profile or signing in with a social media account. Guest checkout stops the tool from linking your session to your identity.
2. Disable personalisation in the tool’s settings
Many AI assistants let you turn off personalisation or “learning from your data.” Look for options like “do not use my history” or “anonymous mode.” It may reduce the quality of recommendations, but it will also stop the tool from building a long‑term profile of you.
3. Review and limit app permissions
If you’re using a shopping AI as a browser extension or mobile app, check what permissions it has. Does it need access to your location? Your contacts? Your entire browsing history? If a permission isn’t essential for the tool’s core function (like reading product pages), deny it.
4. Use a privacy‑focused browser or container tabs
Browsers like Firefox or Brave offer enhanced tracking protection. You can also use container tabs (e.g., Firefox Multi‑Account Containers) to isolate your shopping session from your main browsing profile. This prevents the AI tool from cross‑referencing your shopping data with your social media or email accounts.
5. Opt out of data sharing with third parties
Check the privacy policy of the AI tool you’re using. Many let you opt out of data sharing with “business partners” or “advertising networks.” This option is often buried in the settings menu, but it’s worth the few minutes it takes to find.
Questions to ask before using any AI shopping assistant
Before you click “accept,” ask yourself:
- What data does this tool collect? (Session data only? Or past purchases? Location?)
- How is that data used? (Personalisation? Advertising? Research?)
- Is it shared with third parties? (If yes, which ones, and can you opt out?)
- How long is the data retained? (Some tools keep it forever unless you ask for deletion.)
If the answers aren’t clear, consider using a different tool—or none at all.
Conclusion
AI shopping tools are here to stay, and they can genuinely save time and money. But the trade‑off between convenience and privacy is one you should make consciously, not by accident. By adjusting a few settings and asking the right questions, you can enjoy the benefits without handing over more data than you’re comfortable with.
Sources
- eMarketer, “Data privacy is shoppers’ biggest AI shopping fear, by far,” May 2026. (Available via Google News.)