KPMG in Canada says Canadians are eager to use AI to stretch their holiday budgets, but reluctant to hand over full control to autonomous shopping agents. In a new Holiday Shopping Agentic AI Survey, the firm finds that while 78% of Canadians plan to use AI tools to guide their shopping this season, 76% feel hesitant about relying entirely on agentic AI to do the job.
Canadians embrace AI for deals but not full automation
According to the survey of 1,200 adults aged 18 to 85, most consumers already use AI‑powered tools such as personalized recommendations, product reviews and price comparison features on retailer sites and apps, along with conversational platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini. In total, 78% say they are likely to use AI before choosing where to shop, with 32% “very likely” and 46% “somewhat likely.”
However, KPMG finds that 72% say agentic AI‑powered shopping feels impersonal and 60% feel it takes away the personal touch of holiday shopping. Around 86% want to approve every step before an AI agent acts, half of them strongly agreeing, underscoring a strong desire to keep humans in the loop.
Younger shoppers are curious, older ones are cautious
Interest in agentic AI is highest among younger Canadians. The survey shows that 31% of respondents overall are excited or curious about AI shopping agents, rising to 54% among those 18–24, 42% for ages 25–34 and 39% for 35–44. Curiosity drops to 22% among those 55–64 and 19% for 65–84, reflecting a clear age divide.
When asked what tasks they would feel comfortable handing to AI, 44% pick comparing prices or applying coupons, 31% choose checking store inventory and 30% cite finding gift ideas or personalized recommendations. Still, 33% say they would not feel comfortable using any kind of agentic AI agent, and 60% would not be comfortable letting a fully autonomous system make purchases on their behalf.
What shoppers want AI agents to do
Even with their caution, Canadians see clear benefits in well‑designed shopping agents. The survey finds that 57% would like an AI agent to automatically apply the best discounts and offers at checkout, 52% want personalized product recommendations across retailers and 51% would value proactive alerts when items go on sale or come back in stock. About 38% say they would be more likely to use an AI agent if it managed loyalty and rewards programs for them.
These preferences suggest that shoppers want AI to handle tedious, value‑seeking tasks—like hunting promo codes, tracking prices and checking availability—while they retain control over final choices and payments. For retailers, that points to opportunities in discount automation, inventory visibility and smarter loyalty integration, rather than fully hands‑off buying.
Data privacy and control are key barriers
Privacy concerns sit at the heart of Canadian hesitation. KPMG reports that 78% of consumers worry about the privacy of their personal data when using AI agents to shop, and 85% say they are not comfortable sharing financial details with AI tools, including 52% who strongly agree.
KPMG leaders stress that retailers and AI developers will need to communicate clearly about data use, security and consent—and offer simple opt‑ins and human‑in‑the‑loop options—if they want to build trust. Consumers, the survey suggests, are “tech‑savvy yet cautious,” ready to use digital tools but unwilling to surrender control.
In‑person shopping remains important, especially for boomers
Despite the rise of AI and digital tools, in‑store shopping is not disappearing. The survey finds that 58% of Canadians plan to combine online and in‑person shopping this holiday season. More people plan to shop exclusively in person (14%) than exclusively online (9%).
Among those who will shop only in‑store, 64% are aged 55–85, compared to 13% aged 18–34 and 12% aged 35–54. KPMG notes that many baby boomers prefer brick‑and‑mortar experiences where they can see, touch and try products, and are wary of online scams and data breaches. For this group, using AI to enhance rather than replace in‑person service—through tools like real‑time inventory checks or optimized loyalty rewards—may be the most effective path.
Stablecoins and new payment rails still face skepticism
The survey also touches on payments innovation, finding that 63% of Canadians would not use stablecoins, 12% might and only 4% would prefer to. The top concerns include a lack of trust in cryptocurrencies (43%) and a lack of understanding (30%).
KPMG expects confidence to improve as Canada introduces clearer regulatory frameworks for fiat‑backed stablecoins, but says trust will depend on transparency, strong reserves and oversight. For retailers, the firm argues that stablecoins could eventually lower payment processing costs, speed settlement and reduce chargeback risk, but only if consumers view them as safe, practical payment tools—not speculative assets.
