New research from Commerce, a data-centric provider of an open, AI-driven commerce ecosystem, and PayPal finds strong appetite for AI-powered shopping assistance among Australian consumers, alongside a clear demand for safeguards that keep consumers in control of purchases.

The study, conducted by Logica Research, surveyed 1000 Australian online shoppers, finding that more than six in 10 Australians (63%) are interested in trying an agentic AI shopping tool, despite mixed enthusiasm for AI tools overall. Yet when it comes to the moment of purchase, Australians are holding back. Only 4% want AI assistance at checkout, with shoppers consistently preferring AI help during the product research and comparison phase.

“Aussies are warming up to the idea of AI helping them to shop smarter,” said Shannon Ingrey, Vice President and General Manager for APAC at Commerce.

“However, they’re not ready to let it shop for them just yet. For retailers, that’s a big opportunity. They have to make sure their product data and content are rich enough for AI to compare and recommend.”

Trust is a key factor shaping how adoption will unfold. While 45% of Australian online shoppers expect tech companies like Google and Apple to be first to release agentic AI shopping tools, it is online payment providers like PayPal that Aussies trust most to do so safely (38%). Reinforcing this theme, 79% expect agentic AI shopping tools to offer payment security on par or better than what they use today.

The research also found that while only one in five Australians currently use AI tools when shopping online, those who do are already seeing the benefits, with 53% reporting they spend less time looking for products compared to traditional methods. Looking ahead, 57% of non-users say they may give AI tools a try within the next year, and 79% of all respondents want AI to play a greater role in their future online shopping experiences.

Commerce and Paypal’s full Agentic AI Shopping Report can be downloaded here.