Change Is in the Air

Things are changing. I am writing this Editor’s Note just weeks after the U.S. election — the ramifications of which are already reverberating across industries and economies around the globe. The effects of the political machine run far and wide, extending all the way into the psyche of the consumer. 

This was something I was reminded of as I was sitting in a conference hall at P2PI LIVE, a random Wednesday in November, at 1:35 p.m., when I heard a factoid during The Harris Poll keynote that was particularly intriguing: 62% of consumers say U.S. politics is a significant source of stress in their lives. 

As Michele Salomon explained the disconnect present in the state of mind of today’s shoppers, she highlighted how the line between the consumer brain and political brain has become blurred. As brands, retailers and companies have taken increasingly bold stances on political issues and affiliations, it’s forcing consumers into a stressful mindset shift along the shopper journey. Shoppers aren’t just purchasing a box of crackers or paper towels; they are, in essence, voting. Everyday purchase decisions that might have been trivial in the past, those same actions today can carry with them a much greater deal of gravitas. 

Consumers are significantly more stressed than ever, so what does that mean for commerce? What does this mean for brands and retailers as they think about marketing to and engaging with shoppers who are overloaded with socio-political stress, information and decisions? 

And speaking of information and decisions … consumers are increasingly seeking out ways to deal with the deluge of decision-making and simplify their lives. A well-touted stat is that the average person makes around 35,000 decisions a day. Of course, many of those decisions are automatic, subconscious ones, but that doesn’t change the fact that our access to information is greater than ever before and we are in constant decision mode. Wouldn’t it be nice then, if someone could just make these decisions for us?

Enter AI. We might not need — or want — help with certain decisions. (I, for one, am not letting AI style my wardrobe, but I’m sure there are plenty of people who would quite like that!) But what about more routine and less emotional choices, like selecting the best new portable battery pack from hundreds on the market? Shoppers are well-poised to adopt AI-assisted shopping — and the tech industry has been listening. 

In mid-November, Perplexity Pro users in the U.S. were introduced to an AI commerce experience, Buy with Pro. How does it work? You ask Perplexity a shopping question, then receive objective results and product cards showing the most relevant items, along with key details presented in a visual format, eliminating the need to scroll product reviews and allowing you to view comparisons quickly. The cards are not sponsored — they’re unbiased recommendations, tailored to your search by AI. This new discovery experience is powered by platform integrations, including Shopify, and allows shoppers to check out directly on the website or app. 

The AI shopping assistant nails the issue consumers are facing right on the head. Too many decisions? Too much stress? Let AI simplify your life. Shoppers are much less wary of AI than they were even two years ago. Perhaps that’s because they’ve been dabbling in it firsthand recently, using it creatively to do everything from making vacation itineraries to generating futuristic art. (Have you ever seen a pink giraffe? I have, thanks to AI, and now I need one.) 

And so, it should come as no surprise that many shoppers will be quick to adopt to the ways that AI is going to completely transform commerce. That change isn’t on the horizon anymore. That change is here.