Key stat: 38.2% of US digital shoppers have not used a retail AI chatbot and aren't interested in doing so, the single biggest response to tools like Amazon Rufus and Walmart Sparky, according to a May survey from Bizrate Insights and EMARKETER.

Beyond the chart:

• The shoppers who do engage are worth chasing. Macy's says customers who use its Ask Macy's chatbot spend 4.75 times more than those who don't, according to Bloomberg.
• Meanwhile, the long-term stakes keep climbing, with agentic shopping projected to reach more than a quarter of ecommerce spending within the next few years, according to Boston Consulting Group.

Use this chart: Drop this in a retail strategy deck to temper AI chatbot hype with a reality check: most shoppers still shrug at tools like Rufus and Sparky. Use it to argue for education and seamless UX before big bets, and to frame the engaged minority as a high-value target.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• The Digital Shelf 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• 10 Charts That Define Digital Markets in Q3 and Beyond (EMARKETER subscription required)