AI Moves Into Brazil’s Everyday Shopping Journey

Brazil, a leader in digital shopping, has seen consumers average 67 digital shopping activities per month, encompassing product discovery, price comparison, and purchasing across multiple devices, according to Visa Brazil. This widespread adoption of digital shopping has blurred the lines between online and offline commerce, making payment acceptance a crucial factor for shoppers.

Visa Brazil's Carvalho highlights that 65% of Brazilian shoppers consider payment method acceptance when choosing where to shop. Merchants face the challenge of accommodating various payment methods in a rapidly changing shopping journey, with 57% of shoppers using mobile devices for at least one shopping task during in-store purchases.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in shopping is on the rise, with over half of Brazilian online shoppers utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini during their most recent purchase. AI assists consumers during the shopping journey, from product research to comparison and evaluation of offers. However, merchants currently lag behind, with only 15% providing structured product information for AI agents to access.

The lack of accessible data creates a barrier for AI agents to understand availability, pricing, and inventory. Additionally, consumer comfort levels with AI agents vary significantly, with only 11% granting full access to an AI agent, while 61% are willing to let AI perform product research. As AI moves closer to actual purchases, payment authorization remains a critical concern.

Visa's involvement lies in payment infrastructure and establishing consent, reversibility, and authentication protocols for AI-mediated transactions.