Issue Consumer AI is adopted widely and paid for narrowly

Summary

This issue concerns the gap between how readily consumers use AI shopping tools and how rarely they will pay for them. Capgemini finds that shoppers generally welcome chatbots and virtual assistants, yet their willingness to fund such automation lags far behind adoption. Only around one in five would pay directly, while others want the service bundled with rewards or tested first. As a result, the cost of consumer-facing AI falls largely on retailers and brands. They must justify the investment through loyalty, efficiency, or sales rather than direct fees.