Survey Finds Around 40% in Japan Use Generative AI at Least Monthly, With About 70% of Users Applying It to Shopping

Excrie Inc., a Cross Marketing Group company that provides social and sales promotion services, conducted an online survey titled “Survey on the Use of Generative AI in Daily Life and Shopping 2026” from April 24 to 27, 2026. The survey targeted 1,190 men and women aged 15 to 69 across Japan who use generative AI at least once a month. Key findings show that about 40% of respondents in the screening survey use generative AI tools at least monthly, with teenagers showing higher usage frequency than other age groups. Among current generative AI users, roughly two in three said their usage frequency had increased compared with about a year earlier, and teenagers were more likely than other groups to say it had “increased significantly.” The most common perception of generative AI was that it serves as “a replacement for search engines.” Among women in their teens and twenties, relatively more respondents viewed generative AI as an “assistant,” “consultation partner,” or “conversation partner.” Among monthly generative AI users, 69.9% said they had used generative AI when shopping for products or services. The most common use case was narrowing down products or services suited to oneself, followed by obtaining detailed explanations of specifications and functions, and collecting or summarizing reviews. Of those who had used generative AI for shopping, 61.3% said they had actually purchased or used products or services they had researched through or had recommended by generative AI. The purchase experience rate was higher among people who use generative AI more frequently. More than 20% of respondents who used generative AI for shopping said it shortened the time needed to choose products or services, while a similar share said it helped them discover products or services they would not have found on their own. Some also reported concerns about whether generative AI information is accurate, and a reduced frequency of using search engines for information gathering. The survey was conducted using Cross Marketing’s QiQUMO service. Respondents were men and women aged 15 to 69 living across Japan who answered in the screening survey that they use generative AI at least once a month.