[AI Consumption Trends 2026] Shopping Consultations Up 6.4x Year-on-Year

Allied Architects Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Mahito Muraoka; Securities Code: 6081; hereinafter referred to as "the Company"), which designs marketing communications with the power of data and creativity and supports corporate marketing AX, analyzed posts related to generative AI utilization on X (formerly Twitter) and investigated the actual state of generative AI utilization in shopping situations from March 2024 to February 2025 and from March 2025 to February 2026.

■ Background and Purpose of the Survey

What is happening in the shopping scene where "asking AI" has become commonplace?

With the spread of generative AI, the number of consumers using AI for shopping consultations has rapidly increased. Posts such as "I consulted ChatGPT about a purchase" and "I'm consulting Gemini about shopping" have become commonplace on X.

However, the reality is not just "what to buy," but also "why consult AI" and "what value do they feel," including consumer psychology, which has not yet been fully elucidated.

The Company conducted this survey with the aim of quantitatively elucidating consumer awareness regarding the use of generative AI in shopping situations from consumer voices (VOC) accumulated on X, and clarifying AI consumption trends for 2026. By utilizing patent-pending AI technology installed in the Company's data platform "Kaname.ax®," we automatically extracted and analyzed CEPs (Category Entry Points: triggers and situations that make consumers recall products and services) from consumer posts on social media, thereby visualizing structural changes in consumer insights in AI consumption.

■ Survey Overview

Survey Name: Consumer Awareness Survey on Generative AI Utilization in Shopping Situations

Survey Organizer: Allied Architects Inc.

Survey Period: [Period ①] March 1, 2024 - February 28, 2025

[Period ②] March 1, 2025 - February 28, 2026 (Year-on-year comparison)

Survey Method: Analysis of mention data from generative AI-related posts on X (formerly Twitter)

Number of Analysis Targets: 447 relevant data points for Period ①, 2,869 for Period ② were analyzed.

Analysis Axis: Consumer insight analysis based on CEPs (Category Entry Points)

Ranking: Ranked based on our proprietary "Growth Score." The Growth Score is an index that quantifies market growth, expressed as a deviation value with 50 as the standard. It evaluates changes in the number of mentions in the past and present and corrects for data reliability to accurately grasp growth trends.

Analysis Tool: Data platform "Kaname.ax®" (utilizing patent-pending AI technology)

*When reprinting or using the contents of this survey, please credit "Allied Architects Inc. Kaname.ax® Research."

■ Survey Results Summary

From the analysis of consumer awareness regarding generative AI utilization in shopping situations, significant trend changes are observed in AI consumption in 2026. While shopping consultation posts on X rapidly increased 6.4 times year-on-year (447 cases → 2,869 cases), by combining analysis of "in what situations do they consult AI" and "what value do they gain from AI," the following trends became clear:

The highest ranking was for cases where consumers wanted to narrow down suitable options from multiple choices and felt that AI enabled them to make optimal choices efficiently, ranking 1st. 2nd and 3rd places were occupied by cases where consumers felt "relieved and light-hearted after consulting without hesitation" and "could choose efficiently" when hesitant about expensive purchases. 4th and 5th places were for the use of AI when hesitant about purchasing specialized products.

The most common situation was "when hesitant about making a high-value purchase," revealing that AI is most relied upon for purchasing decisions for expensive items such as PCs, cameras, cars, and jewelry.

AI consumption in 2026 is shifting to an era where AI solves challenges in purchasing decisions, such as "too many options to choose from," "hesitation in big decisions," and "requiring specialized knowledge."

■ Key Survey Results

▼ [1st Place] AI solves "unable to choose": Efficient narrowing down is the biggest growth area

Cases where consumers who want to narrow down suitable options from multiple choices feel that AI enables them to make optimal choices efficiently in that process ranked 1st as the most growing area. AI is resolving "choice fatigue" from finding the optimal solution among a vast number of options.

Behind this is an increase in voices on X saying "AI efficiently narrows down options." Examples include "ChatGPT creates a comparison table when I tell it the conditions," "It narrowed down candidates when I consulted about usage and budget," and "For PC purchase, consulted on specs → AI narrowed down to 3 candidates → created a comparison table → final decision." These show prominent use for efficiently narrowing down options. Expressions like "When buying clothes, if I tell it my size and body type, it suggests the optimal size," "When choosing home appliances, if I tell it the purpose, it even organizes pros and cons," and "When I ask AI, a comparison table appears in tabular format. Features and prices of each product are listed" indicate that AI is acting as a proxy for the effort of researching vast information oneself, streamlining decision-making.

▼ [2nd and 3rd Place] High-value purchase decisions at the core of growth: Also highest in post volume

Cases where consumers felt "relieved and light-hearted after consulting without hesitation" (2nd place) and "could make optimal choices efficiently" (3rd place) when hesitant about expensive purchases occupied 2nd and 3rd places in the growth area ranking. Not only were they 2nd and 3rd in Growth Score (market growth rate), but they also had the highest actual number of posts (absolute value), revealing that AI is most relied upon for purchasing decisions for expensive items such as PCs, cameras, cars, and jewelry.

Behind this is the most frequent appearance of posts on X saying "consulting AI about high-value products." Examples include "Decided specs with ChatGPT and bought a gaming PC that can compete even in 5 years," "Consulted Chappy about buying a car because my husband and I couldn't agree, and it helped me organize my thoughts very logically," and "Consulted all kinds of AI for several months. I was so excited about buying new equipment after a long time that I woke up in the middle of the night yesterday." These show careful decision-making processes unique to high-value products. Expressions like "Consulting ChatGPT about buying a condominium," "Consulted about whether to buy a branded ring or a ring with a design I liked, and got a surprisingly sensible reply that encouraged me," and "If you're hesitant about choosing a car, consult Gemini. It hits on the conviction (original text) that you really want this car and tells you what to do to buy it. It pushes you with logic" indicate that AI provides both objective decision-making materials and psychological support, easing the mind in major life decisions like expensive purchases.

▼ [4th and 5th Place] Expanding utilization for purchasing specialized products

Cases where consumers felt "could make optimal choices efficiently" (4th place) and "relieved and light-hearted after consulting without hesitation" (5th place) when hesitant about purchasing specialized products ranked 4th and 5th in the growth area ranking. AI is being utilized for products requiring specialized knowledge, such as audio equipment, camera lenses, musical instruments, specialized software, and supplements.

Behind this is an increase in voices on X saying "consulting AI about specialized products." Examples include "Input purpose into ChatGPT → purchased recommended model as is," "If it's your first mechanical watch, buy this, you'll buy a second one anyway, it says that one is next. When I asked a watch shop, they said 'Ah, that's a perfect answer,'" and "AI has a very high ability to bring in professionals (people who make a living with that technology) from anywhere in the world." These show high evaluations for specialized advice. Expressions like "Consulted chatGPT a lot about whether I could draw illustrations or compose music with this, and how many years it would last. It told me about models with many malfunctions," "Consulted Gemini about various types and questions to find my favorite sound quality, and finally purchased after much deliberation," and "When I consulted AI, it felt like consulting an expert, and all my doubts and anxieties disappeared" indicate that even consumers without specialized knowledge can confidently choose specialized products by consulting AI.

■ Structure of AI Consumption Revealed by the Survey: Rapid Market Expansion and Diversification of Use Cases

What is particularly interesting in this survey is the rapid increase in shopping consultation posts on X, which surged 6.4 times year-on-year (447 cases → 2,869 cases). In terms of Growth Score, "narrowing down from multiple options," "decisions on high-value purchases," and "purchasing specialized products" occupy the top ranks, but new use cases that were almost non-existent in 2024 have also rapidly increased.

The 1st place, "narrowing down from multiple options," indicates that AI is solving the problem of "unable to choose" from a vast amount of product information. Many voices were heard saying "ChatGPT creates a comparison table when I tell it the conditions" and "Lists multiple products → allows comparison with filtering function."

For "decisions on high-value purchases," which occupies 2nd and 3rd place in Growth Score and also has the highest actual post volume (absolute value), an overwhelming number of voices were heard saying "consulted ChatGPT for several hours" and "purchased with satisfaction after consulting AI" for purchases ranging from tens of thousands to millions of yen, such as PCs, cameras, cars, condominiums, and jewelry. While the Growth Score indicates the market growth rate, the absolute number of posts also shows that consultations for high-value products are the most common, indicating that AI has become a supporting presence for consumers' "big decisions."

For "specialized products," which ranked 4th and 5th, voices saying "AI gave expert-level answers when I consulted it" are increasing for products requiring specialized knowledge, such as audio equipment, camera lenses, musical instruments, and specialized software.

■ New Trends in AI Consumption 2026: Penetration into Daily Life

While the Growth Score TOP 5 indicates the overall market growth rate, it is also noteworthy that new use cases that were almost non-existent in the previous year (March 2024 - February 2025) have rapidly increased in the most recent year (March 2025 - February 2026).

[New use cases that rapidly increased from 2024 to 2025]

▼ When choosing products tailored to physical condition and health (12.1 times year-on-year)

AI is being utilized for choosing products related to physical condition and health, such as medicines, supplements, and health foods. Voices like "Consulted ChatGPT about my symptoms for over-the-counter drugs and then bought them at the pharmacy" are heard. Expressions like "Much more reliable than my husband. I consult it about everything from physical ailments, dieting, to how to take supplements and medicines" indicate that AI, which can be consulted "anytime, without hesitation, and repeatedly," is serving as psychological support for initial responses before visiting a medical institution or for dealing with daily health anxieties.

▼ When wanting to prevent impulse buying (13.7 times year-on-year)

A new use case has emerged where AI is used to confirm the rationality of a purchase, asking for a third-party perspective on "is it really necessary?" Voices like "When I consulted ChatGPT about something I wanted, it asked 'Do you really use it?' and I became calm" and "When I consulted about buying a 500,000 yen guitar amplifier, ChatGPT, which usually supports everything, stopped me with all its might" are heard. Expressions like "When I impulsively want something, I consult ChatGPT, and as I discuss comparisons with other products in terms of functionality and price trends, my enthusiasm cools down" indicate that AI, unlike salespeople or e-commerce sites, has no "intention to sell" and functions as a consultation partner for calmly reconsidering impulsive purchases.

▼ When considering outfits tailored to coordination, TPO, and body type (11.9 times year-on-year)

AI is being utilized for choosing clothes tailored to individual body types and occasions. Voices like "When I consulted ChatGPT about what to wear for commuting, it taught me stylish coordination, minimal additional items, and color combinations from my existing clothes and shoes," "Consulted GPT about a wedding hairstyle to decide on a direction and generated image," and "Since I input my height, weight, body type, and face type, it tells me straight up 'this doesn't suit you' or 'this one is better,' which is divine. Moreover, it even understands my preferences" are heard. Expressions like "It's somehow very positive and praises me with 'That's a good choice!' so it's fun" and "It's like being served without a store clerk" indicate that AI, which has no sales targets like store clerks and "praises" and "affirms everything," functions as a consultation partner that lowers the psychological hurdle of choosing clothes.

The rapid increase in these use cases indicates that AI consumption is expanding its domain from "high-value products and specialized products" as special purchases to "daily purchasing decisions." AI consumption is evolving into a purchasing experience that not only streamlines selection and supplements specialized knowledge but also aligns with individual lifestyles and values.

■ Visualizing Consumer Insights with Patent-Pending AI Technology: Data Platform "Kaname.ax®"

This survey utilized the Company's data platform "Kaname.ax®." Kaname.ax® is equipped with patent-pending technology that automatically extracts and analyzes CEPs (Category Entry Points), which indicate triggers and situations that make consumers recall products and services, from social media posts using AI. This technology was also utilized in this survey to visualize structural changes in consumer insights.

"Kaname.ax®" is a data platform that discovers "starting point insights" from accumulated customer voice (VOC) data and supports companies in designing marketing communications. It collects and integrates customer voices from various sources such as SNS posts, reviews, EC purchaser surveys, and research panel results, and analyzes them centrally with AI to output data analysis results adapted to marketing frameworks like Who×What×How and CEPs.

Service site: https://service.aainc.co.jp/kaname-ax

■ Representative Comment

◆ Mahito Muraoka, President & CEO, Allied Architects Inc.

By analyzing VOC data related to generative AI utilization in shopping situations using the patent-pending AI technology installed in our data platform "Kaname.ax®," structural changes in consumer purchasing behavior became clear. Amidst a 6.4-fold year-on-year increase in shopping consultation posts on X, the most noteworthy point is that the need for efficiency, specifically 'narrowing down from multiple options,' has become the largest growth area. Furthermore, 'decisions on high-value purchases' occupies 2nd and 3rd place in the Growth Score and also has the highest actual post volume, indicating that AI functions as a consultation partner for purchases ranging from tens of thousands to millions of yen. AI utilization is also expanding for specialized products.

In addition, the rapid increase in new use cases that were almost non-existent in 2024 cannot be overlooked. AI consumption is expanding its domain from high-value products and specialized products to daily purchasing decisions, such as choosing products tailored to physical condition and health, preventing impulse buying, and fashion coordination based on body type diagnosis. The two values of 'efficient selection' and 'consulting without hesitation' form the essence of AI consumption, signifying the birth of a new purchasing experience: 'satisfaction through dialogue,' which differs from Google search or e-commerce site recommendations.