AI Shopping Traffic Rises 393% as AI Referrals Outperform Traditional Shoppers

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A new report from Adobe Digital Insights has shown a sharp increase in AI-driven traffic to US retail sites in the first quarter of 2026. There have been significant increases across every industry surveyed in the report, reflecting changes in consumer shopping behavior following more widespread adoption of AI. 

Traffic from AI sources to US retail sites increased by 393% year over year, with 39% of 5,000 consumers surveyed in March 2026 reporting using AI assistants for online shopping. 85% of those surveyed who had used AI assistants for shopping said these tools had “improved their online shopping experience,” while 66% said they trusted AI to provide accurate results.

Adobe also found that AI referrals led to 42% higher conversions than traditional promotional channels like paid searches and email campaigns. This is a significant increase from March 2025, when the figure was 38% lower than traditional promotional channels.

In another significant increase, revenue per visit from AI sources was also 37% higher than non-AI traffic. Only 12 months earlier, non-AI-driven traffic was worth 128% more than AI-driven traffic. Engagement metrics also show AI-assisted shoppers spending 48% longer on sites and viewing 13% more pages per session. 

Director of Adobe Digital Insights Vivek Pandya said:

AI is quickly becoming the primary interface between consumers and their favorite brands. This is particularly true in the ecommerce space, where the use of AI-powered chat services and browsers continues to rise. … As the internet continues to be reintermediated by AI, there is increased urgency for retailers to revamp their digital properties and ensure their products remain top of mind with shoppers.

This shift in consumer behavior comes as more autonomous, agentic AI systems begin to emerge, raising new risks and driving interest in safeguards such as “Know Your Agent” frameworks.