Israeli Teens Lead Europe in Adopting AI Shopping Agents, Mastercard Study Shows
A new Mastercard study reveals Israeli teenagers lead Europe in AI shopping agent adoption, with 62.5% embracing the technology despite parental security concerns.
Israelis are leading the adoption of AI-agent shopping by a significant margin, recording 62.5% compared to a European average of 50.5%. This is according to a new study published by Mastercard, which indicates that Israeli teenagers are set to spearhead the transition to AI-driven commerce.
Generational Gap and Consumption Habits
The global study was conducted by Opinium between June and July, surveying 26,000 parents and teenagers across 13 countries. In Israel, the research included 1,000 parents and 1,000 teenagers aged 13 to 18. Findings show that 68% of Israeli teens express high openness to letting AI agents make purchases for them in the coming years, significantly higher than the 57% European average.
"Israel is once again proving that it is among the first countries to adopt the next generation of consumer technology," said Eyal Paz, CEO of Mastercard Israel.
Furthermore, half of Israeli teenagers estimate that within a few years, the platform will become one of their primary purchasing methods. About 35% of Israeli teens noted they would be ready to use such a shopping agent, compared to only 20% of parents.
Trust, Security, and Future Purchases
The transition to artificial intelligence also impacts the sources influencing the younger generation's purchasing decisions. A quarter of Israeli teens in the country say they would trust AI recommendations more than their parents' advice, a figure that jumps to 32% among 17-to-18-year-olds. Teens indicated they would allow agents to purchase apparel, footwear, electronics, gifts, and personal care products.
Despite the openness, an overwhelming 72.5% of Israeli parents clarified they would not allow a virtual agent to complete a transaction without final approval. The primary concerns raised by both parents and teens involve risks of cyber breaches, fraud, loss of financial control, and the purchase of unwanted items.
