• by Laurie Sullivan , March 20, 2026

Shopping queries on artificial intelligence (AI) platforms are growing more rapidly than any other category, and referral traffic is converting at higher rates -- proving that advertisers need to tackle another new channel, according to marketing agency Skai.

Today agentic buying might seem "weird, but it will go in waves." This is the next wave of AI, Josh Dreller, senior director of content marketing at Skai, told MediaPost.

“We will see the agentic era, and slowly it will become a natural way to make purchases,” Dreller said.

A Skai survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers published Friday reveals how generative AI and agentic commerce fundamentally reshape the shopping journey across generations.

The data shows Dreller’s vision isn’t far off -- at least for younger generations.

Gen Z uses AI for comparison shopping at 1.5x the rate of Boomers -- 44% vs. 30%. Some 29% of Gen Z have made a purchase directly through ChatGPT’s shopping feature, compared with 5% of Boomers.

Sixty-five percent of consumers have clicked from an AI tool directly to a retailer site. This is not passive browsing, because the data shows consumers are following AI recommendations to the point of purchase.

Generative AI and agentic commerce continue to reshape consumer shopping habits and journey, with AI driving $262 billion in holiday retail revenue and influencing 92% of purchase decisions in 2025, according to Salesforce.

Data related to generations and agentic buying released Friday by Skai outlines major implications for advertisers.

AI recommendations feed traffic into retailer sites, and the 65% click-through rate means AI is becoming a discovery layer that sits on top of a company’s existing retail and advertising infrastructure.

The finding that 29% of Gen Z have purchased directly through ChatGPT reflects another new channel, not just research activity.

The goal to define key performance indicators, allocate test budgets, and begin learning what generates conversions to drive performance.

Trust becomes a major consideration when consumers think about buying through agentic channels. Comfort drops sharply at the point of purchase when consumers think about buying through agents.

The data finds that only 47% are comfortable with AI agentic buying within set rules, although 85% are comfortable with AI researching options, 82% are fine with AI generating a shortlist and 70% will allow AI to choose the best option from several.

Gen Z shows 3x higher comfort level, at 34%, with AI making final purchase decisions.

Only 7% of Boomers say they feel comfortable when asked about agentic buying. Twenty-eight percent of Gen Z would allow AI to purchase for them without any approval, versus 0% of Boomers.