KUALA LUMPUR: Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a growing trend for everyday shopping companions, with 74% of Malaysians using AI while shopping in 2026, up from 58% in 2025, as consumers use AI assistants to discover products, find inspiration and support purchasing decisions.
According to the Adyen Index 2026 Malaysia Retail Report, a survey commissioned by Adyen and conducted by YouGov Plc online, consumers are using AI to find accurate information and faster product inspiration.
The study showed that 84% of Malaysian consumers surveyed say there is too much information to digest on social media, while 74% say AI helps them find inspiration faster than other sources.
The technology is also becoming more visible across retail experiences, with 60% of AI-assisted shoppers saying brands they shop with have integrated AI-powered search tools into their user interfaces.
Adyen Malaysia country manager Soon Yean Lee said AI has become very mainstream.
“When we ask consumers why they are using AI tools and how they are using them, the biggest reason is to cut through the noise.
“In fact, 84% say they use AI to filter the overwhelming amount of information available today. There is simply too much content on social media, and consumers are also exposed to constant sales-driven messaging from brands.
“Instead of sifting through endless information, consumers could focus on what was actually best for them,” he told reporters in a media briefing today.
Alongside AI, Malaysians are increasingly embracing technology throughout the shopping experience.
Self-checkout (39%), brand apps to check out and earn loyalty points (26%) and AI tools (19%) rank among the most commonly used retail technologies, reflecting continued expectations for convenience and seamless experiences across channels.
Soon said, “Today, when planning trips to places like Japan or China, many people rely less on travel agents and more on recommendations from influencers and locals.
“AI helps filter all that information based on consumers’ budget and preferences, making it easier to find more authentic experiences.
“That is why AI is becoming a permanent part of the consumer journey. The next question is whether consumers will be comfortable letting AI go beyond recommendations and actually complete transactions, such as making payments on their behalf.”
Further, in his presentation, Soon said that as retailers begin exploring agentic commerce, where AI agents browse, decide, and purchase on a shopper’s behalf, consumer trust will determine how quickly these experiences are adopted. This makes confidence in security, reliability and control over transactions essential as commerce becomes more automated.
These expectations place greater importance on payment performance.
Nearly six in ten Malaysians (59%) say payment errors negatively impact their perception of a business, while more than a quarter (26%) have abandoned purchases due to security or trust concerns.
A further 15% say they would switch to a competitor following a poor payment experience.
For retailers, delivering reliable and secure payment experiences remains an ongoing challenge.
Nearly all retailers (97%) report being affected by payment performance issues over the past 12 months, while 94% say they have been targeted by or fallen victim to payment fraud.
The impact extends beyond the transaction itself, resulting in higher support and refund handling costs, abandoned checkouts, increased chargebacks, and lost sales from failed or slow transactions.
Touching on the next era of commerce, Soon said that despite ongoing concerns around trust and security, Malaysian retailers remain optimistic about the role of AI in driving future growth.
AI is already embedded across key retail functions, including marketing and promotions (40%), customer service and support (39%), improving customer experience (39%), and operations and efficiency (37%).
Awareness of agentic commerce is also growing, with more than eight in ten retailers (85%) saying they are familiar with the concept, while over half (51%) say they are very familiar and able to explain it confidently.
Looking ahead, nearly half of retailers (47%) plan to invest in AI-driven or agentic commerce solutions in 2026, as they balance automation with control and resilience across the customer journey.
