The rapid rise in popularity of voice-activated virtual assistants—artificial intelligence (AI) devices such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home—is significantly influencing consumer behavior, according to a study by Toluna.
The real-time digital consumer insights company conducted a survey of more than 1,000 US consumers and learned how these devices affect the shopping, search, and media consumption behaviors of men and women, and compiled the results into an infographic.
For example, the study found only 6% of men said the use of personal assistants has no effect on their shopping behavior, whereas 22% of women said the same.
These devices have at least somewhat changed the buying behavior of most people who use them, which is a shift in the overall e-commerce landscape, creating new opportunities for savvy brands to engage customers.
The study also found that the top barrier to owning a virtual assistant is price. But with more options coming to market each year, that may not be a barrier for long.
To check out the results of the survey, click on the infographic to view a larger version:
