Even Baby Boomers Are Using AI: Generative AI Goes Mainstream in 2026

Generative AI tools have crossed into every age group—and the hold-out is not reluctance to try them, but reluctance to hand over the transaction.

A new survey from Acosta Group (May 15-21, 2026, 1,271 U.S. shoppers) finds that 34% of shoppers now use AI tools. Adoption is predictably highest among younger consumers— 74% of Gen Z and millennial shoppers report using AI—but the more notable finding is that 45% of boomers are also using AI tools, a demographic that has historically lagged on new technology adoption.

Google Gemini leads the AI tools used, with 25% of shoppers reporting it as their primary tool. But conversion to action remains limited: only 22% of shoppers trust AI agents to make purchases on their behalf. Millennials show higher openness at 35%, but that still leaves two-thirds unwilling to delegate the transaction itself.

Key Takeaways

• Boomers have joined the AI majority: 45% of boomer shoppers now use AI tools—reframing generative AI as a cross-generational behavior, not a Gen Z trend.
• Trust stops at the checkout: Wide adoption has not translated into transaction delegation. Only 22% of shoppers trust AI to buy for them.
• Google Gemini leads the tool layer: With 25% of shoppers using Gemini, Google holds a significant position in AI-influenced shopping.

John Carroll and Kathy Risch of Acosta Group are cited. The findings were reported by Marianne Wilson.

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