CHICAGO, Oct. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Numerator, a consumer data and technology company, has launched its AI Consumer Index, a new measure connecting AI engagement with verified consumer spending to identify where AI-enabled shopping could unlock growth for brands and retailers. The Index identifies Health & Beauty, Apparel, and Electronics as categories with the greatest potential for AI-enabled shopping disruption, with $37 billion in additional annual spending among AI-engaged households underscoring the scale of the impact.
By using new Numerator research on AI behaviors and attitudes across more than 170,000 consumers, the Index is available through Numerator’s AI Consumer Insights Hub, a resource that extends Numerator’s ongoing tracking of consumer AI trends. The Index benchmarks spending among AI-engaged consumers against the average U.S. shopper. With more than 30% of U.S. households now using AI weekly, these insights offer an early view into where AI-enabled shopping could gain traction:
- Trend-driven categories show the strongest potential for AI-enabled shopping. AI-engaged consumers spend above average in Electronics, Apparel, Footwear & Accessories, and Health & Beauty, categories where product discovery and consideration could be influenced by AI.
- eCommerce and value retailers could see AI reshape shopping behavior before traditional grocers. Costco, TJX Companies, and Amazon over-index among AI-engaged consumers, while traditional grocers Ahold Delhaize and Albertsons under-index.
- Urban-oriented restaurant chains could see greater exposure to AI disruption. Chipotle, Panera Bread, and Jack in the Box over-index among AI-engaged households, while Arby’s, Culver’s, and Dairy Queen see below-average spending.
Key survey findings from the Numerator AI Consumer Insights Hub include:
- Winning consumer confidence could be key to deeper AI engagement. More than three-quarters (76%) of consumers who view AI positively use it daily or weekly, compared with just 17% of consumers with neutral or negative sentiment. Meanwhile, one in five consumers now rank AI among the issues they are most concerned about, up from 12% in July 2025 and on par with economic uncertainty.
- AI-assisted shopping remains early, but adoption rises sharply among regular users. Nearly one in ten U.S. households report using AI while shopping, with usage doubling among regular AI users. The difference points to regular AI users as an early audience for AI-enabled shopping experiences.
- Trust remains a significant barrier to AI-enabled commerce. Nearly half of consumers (48%) are concerned about how their personal data is collected and used, while 41% cite payment security, highlighting the trust considerations that accompany broader adoption of AI shopping tools.
The AI Consumer Index comes from Numerator’s Total Commerce Panel and benchmarks household spending among three AI-engaged consumer groups—regular AI users, consumers with positive AI sentiment, and consumers who use AI while shopping—against the average U.S. shopper. Survey data comes from a monthly tracking survey, with findings in this release based on July 2026 fielding.
About Numerator:
Numerator is a data company transforming how consumers and markets are understood. Powered by advanced technology and proprietary, zero-party purchase and survey data from more than one million households, Numerator provides visibility into consumer behavior and attitudes across consumer goods, retail, restaurants, tech and media, management consulting, institutional investors, and the public sector. Headquartered in Chicago, Numerator drives decisions at the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies in more than 50 countries.
Bob Richter Numerator 212-802-8588 press@numerator.com
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