Ask a Gen Z shopper how they picked their last phone, and there’s a good chance AI helped. Ask whether they’d let AI buy it for them, and the answer gets a lot more hesitant.
That’s the core finding of a new Rukam Capital study, “Gen Z: Inside the Minds of India’s Most Influential Consumers,” conducted with YouGov. India’s Gen Z is happy to let AI inform its choices, but not to take the final call away from them. Call it the AI autonomy paradox.
AI Is the Shopping Co-Pilot, Not the Pilot
Nearly 60% of respondents use AI at times when deciding what to buy, and only 14% have never used it for shopping. What they use it for is more telling:
| What Gen Z uses AI for | Share |
|---|---|
| Comparing products, services or brands | 31% |
| Finding the best price or deal | 29% |
| Understanding features and specifications | 29% |
| Judging if something is worth buying | 24% |
| Finding alternatives | 22% |
| Reading or summarising reviews | 22% |
| Discovering new brands or products | 17% |
The pattern is clear. AI is acting as an evaluation layer rather than a discovery engine. Gen Z still finds brands through social feeds and friends, then turns to AI to cut through the noise and sort the options.
For brands: being found online is no longer enough. Clear specs, transparent pricing and well-structured reviews help AI tools read and recommend your product accurately.
Trust Is High, Until AI Takes the Wheel
Comfort with AI is strong across many parts of life:
| Area | Comfortable with AI |
|---|---|
| Recommending products or services | 70% |
| Personalising healthcare or wellbeing advice | 65% |
| Choosing a career or education path | 63% |
| Recommending what to watch, listen to or read | 63% |
| Helping with financial decisions | 62% |
| Deciding on their behalf, without final approval | 49% |
That drop of over 20 points is the story. Gen Z isn’t rejecting AI. It’s drawing a line between being assisted by AI and being replaced by it.
Dependent, but Not Blind
This caution makes sense given how deeply technology is woven into daily life:
- 72% say their smartphone would be the hardest device to give up for a month
- 71% rely on technology for most aspects of daily life
- 78% say technology makes life significantly easier
- 74% admit they sometimes spend more time online than planned
- 64% consciously try to take breaks from their devices
This is a generation that knows exactly how much it leans on technology, and that self-awareness likely shapes how much control it’s willing to hand over. For more on how tech is shaping everyday habits, explore the latest stories on Technosports.
What This Means for the Next Wave of AI?
The competition may shift from what AI can do to how much control users want to keep. Products that explain their recommendations, offer clear choices and ask for a final “yes” will likely win more trust than fully autonomous systems. If you follow the fast-moving world of AI and gadgets, keep an eye on Technosports for more updates.
The takeaway is simple: Gen Z wants AI to make decisions faster, simpler and better informed, while the final call stays with them.
FAQs
Q1. Do most Gen Z consumers in India trust AI recommendations?
Yes. 70% are comfortable with AI recommending products or services, according to the Rukam Capital–YouGov study.
Q2. Will Gen Z let AI make decisions on its own?
Only partly. Just 49% are comfortable with AI deciding for them without their final approval.
