Why Shoppers Worry About AI and Privacy — and What You Can Do About It

Why Shoppers Worry About AI and Privacy — and What You Can Do About It

A survey published by eMarketer this month confirms what many observers have suspected: data privacy is far and away the top concern consumers have about using AI shopping tools. Nearly half of respondents said they worry about how their personal information is collected and used when they interact with an AI assistant for shopping. This finding is not surprising, but it is a useful signal for anyone who uses — or is thinking about using — these tools.

What happened

The eMarketer report, based on a survey of U.S. adult online shoppers, asked people to name their biggest fear related to AI-powered shopping. The leading answer was data privacy, beating out concerns such as inaccurate recommendations, poor customer service, and even job displacement. The margin was substantial: privacy concerns were cited roughly twice as often as the next most common worry. The study did not specify exactly which data practices shoppers fear most, but the pattern aligns with broader surveys about consumer trust in AI. You can find the original report on eMarketer’s site (paywalled), but the headline finding has been widely covered.

Why it matters

AI shopping tools — whether they are chatbots on retailer sites, browser extensions that compare prices, or voice assistants that help you build a grocery list — often need access to personal data to function. Typical data points include your purchase history, saved payment methods, shipping addresses, product preferences, and sometimes your browsing behavior across other sites. The more personalized the tool claims to be, the more data it typically wants.

The risk is that this data can be used in ways you did not intend. Some companies share or sell it to third parties for advertising or analytics. Others store it with less-than-adequate security, increasing the chance of a breach. Even if a company promises not to sell your data, it may still use it to train future models or surface targeted offers that feel invasive. And because many AI tools are relatively new, their privacy policies are still evolving. The eMarketer survey suggests shoppers are right to pay attention.

What readers can do

You do not have to stop using AI shopping tools to protect your privacy. But you should take a few deliberate steps to limit what you share.

• Review the tool’s privacy policy before you install or enable it. Look for plain-language summaries of what data is collected, how it is stored, and whether it is shared. If the policy is vague or uses phrases like “we may share your data with trusted partners,” treat that as a red flag.

• Use the tool’s privacy settings. Most AI shopping assistants let you opt out of certain data uses, such as personalized advertising or data sharing for analytics. This option is often buried in a settings menu, but it is worth finding. For example, some browser extensions have toggles under “Privacy” or “Data Collection.”

• Minimize the information you volunteer. When an AI shopping tool asks for your email address, phone number, or mailing address to “enhance your experience,” consider whether that data is actually necessary for the transaction. Many features work just as well with a temporary email address or without a phone number.

• Consider using a privacy-focused browser extension instead of a retailer’s own AI tool. Extensions like Privacy Badger, uBlock Origin (with privacy lists), or DuckDuckGo’s browser can block tracking scripts while you shop. They do not offer the same conversational interface as a dedicated AI assistant, but they reduce data collection at the source.

• Check whether the AI tool stores your conversations. Some chatbots retain your queries for training or quality improvement. If you see a setting that lets you delete chat history or opt out of storage, use it.

• Be cautious with payment information. Avoid saving credit card details in any AI shopping assistant unless it is from a retailer you already trust and the payment processing is handled by a known third party like Stripe or PayPal.

• If available, use guest checkout. When an AI tool prompts you to create an account to save your preferences, consider whether you would prefer a one-time guest checkout instead. You lose the convenience of saved preferences, but you also avoid creating another data profile.

How to choose safer AI shopping assistants

Not all tools are equal. When evaluating a new shopping AI, look for:

• An independent privacy audit or a published security whitepaper.
• Clear data deletion procedures — you should be able to request removal of your data at any time.
• A transparent business model. Tools that are free often make money from your data. If the company’s primary revenue is subscription fees rather than advertising, that is generally a better sign for privacy.
• No requirement to log in with a social media account (Facebook, Google) unless you are comfortable with the data sharing that entails.

Sources

• eMarketer. “Data privacy is shoppers’ biggest AI shopping fear, by far.” May 2026. (Paywalled; coverage referenced in Google News RSS.)
• For additional context on data collection practices: Federal Trade Commission. “AI and Consumer Privacy: What to Know.” 2025. (General resource; not specific to shopping.)

The takeaway is straightforward: you can benefit from AI shopping tools without giving away more information than necessary. A little caution goes a long way.