HK shoppers embrace AI, but trust gap halts automated purchases

Over 70% of Hong Kong consumers have used AI assistants for shopping, but nearly half remain uncomfortable allowing AI to complete a purchase on their behalf, a recent survey from financial technology platform Adyen finds.

The Hong Kong edition of the 2026 Adyen APAC Retail Index, which surveyed 1,026 Hong Kong consumers and 324 enterprise retail merchants (each with annual turnovers of HK$150 million or more), reveals that AI has firmly cemented itself in mainstream product discovery. Nearly three-quarters of consumers (74%) have used AI assistants to enhance their shopping experience.

Nearly three-quarters of consumers, or 74%, have used AI assistants to enhance their shopping experience. However, as the industry races toward agentic commerce—where autonomous AI agents browse, evaluate, and make purchases on a shopper’s behalf—securing the final transaction without compromising customer relationships is proving to be the defining challenge for retailers.

Among AI-assisted shoppers, the efficiency benefits are clear. An overwhelming 88% agree that AI helps them cut through online noise, 73% say it provides faster shopping inspiration, and 71% actively want to use AI to discover unique brands and experiences. Generation Z is leading this behavioral shift, with one in four Gen Z consumers using AI assistants daily for shopping, compared to 17% of Gen X and a mere 2% of Baby Boomers.

Despite high engagement in the discovery phase, a distinct trust gap emerges when money enters the equation. The report reveals that 45% of consumers are uncomfortable allowing an AI assistant to complete a purchase on their behalf, even if they have already reviewed and approved the product and price. Furthermore, 14% staunchly refuse to use AI for anything beyond product discovery, while another 14% are only comfortable if additional security layers are introduced.

As AI introduces greater automation into the purchase journey, payment reliability becomes paramount. In Hong Kong, 66% of consumers state that payment errors directly damage their perception of a retailer, and 26% would completely abandon a purchase and avoid the merchant moving forward after a single payment issue. This indicates that checkout friction is no longer just a conversion risk, but a direct reputational threat.

The research also highlights that Hong Kongers prioritise transaction reassurance over sheer speed at checkout. Two in five surveyed consumers feel more confident when retailers enforce two-factor authentication, while only 9% are willing to sacrifice security protocols for a faster checkout experience. For retailers, this means visible safeguards play a critical role in maintaining trust as automation increases.

Enterprise retail merchants are acutely aware of this shift. The report finds that 94% of Hong Kong merchants are familiar with the concept of agentic commerce, and 52% plan to integrate AI-driven or agentic commerce solutions as part of their 2026 revenue growth strategies.

That said, Hong Kong operators remain clear-eyed about the structural barriers to scaling these autonomous systems. Merchants cited the risk of losing direct customer relationships or brand control as their top concern at 43%, followed by data privacy and security vulnerabilities at 38%, and the complexity of integrating AI into existing infrastructure at 35%.

Compounding these hurdles is an ecosystem integration challenge. As new AI platforms enter the market, each operates on distinct protocols, demanding unique product data formats and checkout processes. Without an industry-wide universal translator, every new platform risks becoming a costly, resource-heavy integration bottleneck for retailers.

“Consumers already consider payments as part of the wider brand experience, meaning that if checkout fails, trust breaks,” said Kai Tang, head of Hong Kong, Adyen. “As agentic commerce moves closer to reality, the next challenge is making sure the retail backend systems can keep up while maintaining trust at every transaction.”

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