Why Data Privacy Is Shoppers’ #1 AI Fear—And How to Protect Yourself
If you’ve used an AI shopping assistant lately—a chatbot that recommends products, a tool that compares prices across stores, or a virtual try-on feature—you’ve likely noticed how convenient it can be. But a new survey from eMarketer shows that convenience comes with a growing worry: data privacy.
According to the report, nearly 70% of shoppers say data privacy is their top concern when using AI-powered shopping tools. That’s far ahead of other fears like inaccurate recommendations, hidden costs, or even the risk of getting wrong product information. The finding underscores a clear gap between the appeal of AI shopping and the trust consumers place in how their data is handled.
What Happened
The eMarketer survey, conducted in early 2026, asked consumers about their biggest fears related to AI shopping tools. Data privacy ranked first by a wide margin. While the exact methodology and sample size aren’t fully detailed in the public summary, the headline result is unambiguous: shoppers are more worried about how their personal information is collected, stored, and used than they are about the performance or price of the AI tools.
This isn’t an isolated finding. Surveys from other organizations over the past few years have consistently shown that privacy concerns weigh heavily on consumers when they interact with AI systems, whether in shopping, search, or social media. What’s notable here is the sharp focus on shopping—an activity where sharing payment details, addresses, browsing history, and personal preferences is often necessary.
Why It Matters
AI shopping tools typically collect a wide range of data: purchase history, product views, location, payment information, and sometimes even voice recordings or camera images (for virtual try-ons). The value to the retailer is obvious—better recommendations, more targeted ads, and smoother checkout. But for shoppers, the collection of so much sensitive information creates real risks.
- Data misuse. Your shopping profile can be sold to third parties, used to set dynamic prices, or leaked in a breach.
- Lack of transparency. Many tools don’t clearly explain what data is being gathered or how long it’s kept.
- Persistent tracking. AI assistants often integrate with your accounts and browsers, creating a long-term record of your behavior across multiple sites.
The survey suggests that shoppers are becoming more aware of these risks. The fear isn’t irrational: high-profile data breaches and aggressive data monetization practices have made headlines for years. Now that AI is embedded in everyday shopping experiences, that awareness is translating into active concern.
What Readers Can Do
You don’t have to give up the convenience of AI shopping tools to protect your privacy. The following steps are practical and don’t require technical expertise.
Use guest checkout whenever possible. Avoid creating accounts with AI shopping tools that require your name, email, and payment details. Guest checkout limits the data the retailer can associate with your identity.
Review and limit app permissions. If you use a shopping app that offers AI features, check what permissions it requests. Does it need access to your contacts, camera, or location? Deny anything that isn’t essential, and revoke permissions after use.
Read the privacy policy—at least the key parts. You don’t need to read every word. Look for sections like “information we collect,” “data sharing,” and “data retention.” If the policy is vague or allows broad sharing with “partners,” treat that as a red flag.
Use one-time or virtual payment cards. Many credit card issuers and digital wallets offer virtual card numbers linked to a single transaction. That way, even if the retailer suffers a breach, your real card number isn’t exposed.
Check if the tool works in a private browsing window. Some AI shopping tools rely on cookies and tracking scripts. Running them in private or incognito mode (or in a separate browser profile) can reduce the trail you leave.
Consider privacy-focused shopping tools. A few services are designed to minimize data collection—for example, price-tracking extensions that run locally on your browser rather than sending your browsing history to a server. Look for those that explicitly mention “no tracking” or “local processing.”
No single step is perfect, but combining several of them can significantly reduce your exposure. The goal is to make informed choices rather than blindly trusting an AI assistant with your data.
Sources
eMarketer. (May 2026). “Data privacy is shoppers’ biggest AI shopping fear, by far.”
(Available via Google News summary; original report from eMarketer paywalled.)Various consumer surveys on AI trust and privacy (2024–2026) from Pew Research Center and Consumer Reports.
Note: The eMarketer report itself has not been made fully public, so some details about sample size and exact questions remain unclear. The 70% figure is cited in multiple news outlets covering the release.