Signal 28% of Gen Z use generative AI for shopping against 16% of boomers; 60% use AI overviews

Summary

McKinsey finds that younger consumers are at the forefront of using generative AI in shopping. Among Gen Z respondents, 28 percent say they already use generative AI tools to shop, compared with 16 percent of baby boomers. The gap is even wider for AI summaries shown at the top of search results, which 60 percent of Gen Z say they use regularly, versus 29 percent of boomers. Across all age groups, about a quarter of consumers report using generative AI for shopping, and overall use is more than twice as high among Gen Z as among boomers. The figures come from a February 2026 sentiment survey of more than 20,000 consumers in 15 countries, including Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and the US.