AI shopping traffic surged 4,700% in July 2025, Adobe reports

Adobe’s latest data reveals that AI-powered shopping traffic to U.S. retail sites surged 4,700% year-over-year in July 2025, based on analysis of over one trillion visits to retail websites. This dramatic growth signals that generative AI discovery tools—systems that help consumers research products using conversational interfaces—are rapidly becoming central to how consumers find deals and make purchasing decisions, fundamentally reshaping the retail landscape.

What you should know: AI-referred shoppers demonstrate significantly more engaged behavior than traditional traffic sources.

• These consumers spend 32% longer on retail sites, view 10% more pages, and bounce 27% less than visitors from other channels.
• The data shows these aren’t casual browsers—85% of AI tool users say it improved their shopping experience, with 73% citing AI as their primary source of product research.
• A survey of 5,000 U.S. consumers found that 38% have already used AI discovery tools for shopping, while 52% plan to do so this year.

The conversion gap is closing: While AI-referred traffic historically converted less than other channels, that disparity is rapidly narrowing.

• In July 2025, AI-referred traffic was only 23% less likely to convert compared to non-AI traffic, down from 49% in January and 38% in April.
• AI-driven revenue-per-visit increased 84% from January to July 2025, with an AI-referred visit now worth just 27% less than a non-AI visit—compared to 97% less a year ago.
• Mobile AI traffic grew from 18% in January to 26% in July, indicating more impulse-driven shopping behavior.

Why this matters: This represents a fundamental shift in consumer discovery behavior rather than just another marketing channel.

• Complex purchase categories like consumer electronics are leading in AI visit share because they benefit most from AI-powered research capabilities.
• The rise of AI agents marks the beginning of conversational platforms becoming the new front door to product discovery.
• Brands must rethink content optimization, performance measurement, and customer journey structure to adapt to this infrastructure shift.

What they’re saying: Adobe’s Vivek Pandya, director of Digital Insights, emphasizes the transformative nature of this trend.

• “AI isn’t just another channel. The use of the technology is a fundamental shift in how consumers discover and engage with brands,” said Pandya.
• “For brands that have built strong visibility in the current digital economy, the metrics may look unfamiliar. It may feel like the early days of digital all over again — equal parts exhilarating and daunting.”

The bigger picture: While AI traffic remains smaller than established channels like paid search or email, its exponential growth trajectory and improving conversion rates position it as a critical component of future retail strategy.