Online shopping using ChatGPT and other AI tools can be 'confusing' for users, report claims

Online shopping using AI tools like ChatGPT can be confusing for users due to a lack of consensus in brand recommendations, a report claims. An analysis by BrightEdge, which assessed thousands of shopping-related questions across various AI platforms, found that they frequently disagree on which brands to suggest. The report found that 61.9% of user queries resulted in conflicting brand recommendations, depending on the platform used. In only 17% of cases did ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, and Google's

AI Mode

in Search recommend the same brand. Google AI Overviews were noted to lead with brand mentions in 36.8% of queries.The report also mentions significant inconsistencies in brand recommendations across AI platforms. The three tools agreed on brand choices for only 17% of queries. Disagreements were most important in healthcare (68.5%), followed by education (62.1%) and finance (57.9%).

How these disparities in recommendations can ‘confuse’ users

According to the report, various chatbots handle shopping-related queries in different ways. This means that if you’re looking to buy something like a shirt or jeans, you’ll likely need to check at least two AI tools to get a complete picture of the brands that are worth considering.

The report shows that ChatGPT typically suggests fewer options, while Google’s AI tends to present more than twice as many. Instead of relying on a single AI for shopping guidance, you may need to cross-check between them to get a clearer idea.Some users may prefer ChatGPT because it offers around 2.5 times fewer brand suggestions than Google’s AI, making the experience feel less overwhelming. Others could argue that having more options increases the chances of making the right choice. As per the research, ChatGPT recommends an average of 2.37 brands per query, whereas Google’s AI Overview suggests nearly 6.02. On the other hand, Google’s AI Mode lags with just 1.59 brands per query. However, the report noted that ChatGPT avoids naming brands in 43.4% of cases, while Google AI Overviews skip brand mentions in only 9.1% of queries.Online shopping isn’t as simple as it looks, since buyers often rely on reviews and expert opinions before making a decision. In such cases, ChatGPT and Google’s AI differ significantly as well.While ChatGPT mentions an average of 2.37 brands per query, it provides only 0.73 citations, offering limited transparency. In comparison, Google AI Mode delivers over 14 citations for six brand mentions, which is 2.4 times more citations than brands, making its recommendations appear more reliable. This suggests Google’s AI Mode is stronger when it comes to explaining why certain brands are recommended. However, to make a well-informed choice, shoppers may still want to cross-check between ChatGPT and Google’s AI, even if it’s less convenient.