84% of Indian Millennials Use AI for Shopping, Outpacing Gen Z: McKinsey Report
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Khushi Jain
- November 2, 2026
Millennials are leading the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) for shopping in India, with 84 per cent using AI-powered tools to search for products, compare options or make purchasing decisions, according to a report by McKinsey & Company.
The McKinsey Agentic Commerce Consumer Survey, conducted in June 2026, found that AI shopping adoption among Indian millennials was higher than the 74 per cent recorded among Gen Z consumers.
The survey also reported 74 per cent adoption among Gen X consumers, while 56 per cent of baby boomers in India used AI tools for shopping.
Although younger generations are leading AI shopping adoption globally, millennials recorded the highest adoption rate among all generations surveyed in India, exceeding Gen Z by 10 percentage points.
The findings were also reported by The Economic Times in its coverage of AI shopping adoption in India. ETRetail.com
India Ranks Second in AI Shopping Adoption
India ranked second among the 11 markets surveyed for overall AI shopping adoption, with 76 per cent of consumers using AI-powered tools for shopping.
China recorded the highest adoption rate at 80 per cent, while the global average stood at 53 per cent.
According to McKinsey’s original research on agentic commerce, AI tools are increasingly being used to search for products, compare choices and support purchase decisions. McKinsey & Company
“Countries with the highest AI adoption rates see that trend carry over across generations,” McKinsey said.
The survey found that AI shopping adoption extended across age groups in India, although usage varied between generations.
87% of Indian AI Users Trust AI Shopping Tools
The report also examined consumer confidence in AI-powered chat and search tools.
In India, 87 per cent of AI users said they trusted these tools, compared with the global average of 73 per cent.
The findings show that Indian consumers recorded a higher level of trust in AI chat and search tools than the overall average across the surveyed markets.
The survey examined how consumers use AI-powered tools when searching for products, comparing available options and making purchase decisions.
Millennials and Gen Z Lead Global AI Shopping Adoption
Globally, millennials recorded an AI shopping adoption rate of 63 per cent, followed closely by Gen Z at 62 per cent.
Both groups were above the global average of 53 per cent.
However, the report found differences between AI adoption and consumer trust, particularly among younger users.
“Despite Gen Z’s relatively high usage of AI, Gen Zers tend to be more skeptical of AI on average,” McKinsey said.
Globally, 67 per cent of Gen Z AI users said they trusted AI chat and search tools, below the overall average of 73 per cent.
The findings indicate that frequent use of AI shopping tools does not necessarily correspond with higher trust in the technology.
AI Shopping Adoption Among Indian Consumers
The use of AI tools for shopping has also been examined in other consumer surveys in India.
A separate Moneycontrol report on festive shopping trends cited findings from InMobi’s The Marketer’s Guide to India’s Festive Season 2026. The report found that millennials showed greater enthusiasm for AI-based shopping recommendations than Gen Z consumers. Moneycontrol
That report was based on a different survey and should not be treated as part of McKinsey’s findings.
McKinsey Survey Covers 21,000 Consumers Across 11 Markets
The McKinsey Agentic Commerce Consumer Survey was conducted in June 2026 and covered approximately 21,000 consumers across 11 markets, including India, China, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The survey examined AI shopping adoption and consumer trust across different age groups and countries.
McKinsey noted that the adoption figure for Indian baby boomers was indicative because it was based on fewer than 100 respondents.
The findings place India among the leading markets for AI shopping adoption, with millennials recording the highest usage among the country’s surveyed generations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What percentage of Indian millennials use AI for shopping?
According to McKinsey, 84 per cent of Indian millennials use AI-powered tools for shopping.
2. How does Gen Z compare with millennials in AI shopping adoption?
In India, 74 per cent of Gen Z consumers use AI for shopping, 10 percentage points below millennials.
3. Where does India rank in AI shopping adoption?
India ranks second among the 11 surveyed markets, with 76 per cent adoption, behind China at 80 per cent.
4. How many Indian AI users trust AI shopping tools?
The survey found that 87 per cent of Indian AI users trust AI chat and search tools, compared with the global average of 73 per cent.
5. How many consumers participated in the McKinsey survey?
The survey covered approximately 21,000 consumers across 11 markets in June 2026.
