AI Assistants Now Drive 25% of Retail Traffic in Asia
ChatGPT now drives 25% of traffic to leading Asian retailers as shopping queries double. Bain research shows marketers must adopt generative engine optimization.
Asian shoppers made 29 million ChatGPT prompts in the first half of 2025, a 70% jump from the previous period, according to Bain & Company research released in August 2025. Shopping-related queries doubled their share of total prompts, rising from 7.8% to 9.8% within six months.
AI Assistants Command Quarter of Retail Traffic
Referral traffic from ChatGPT to retail websites grew sevenfold over the past year, with some leading retailers now reporting that 25% of inbound traffic originates from AI assistants. The data, compiled with mobile analytics firm Sensor Tower, signals a rapid shift away from traditional search engines and online marketplaces.
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David Yang, partner at Bain & Company, told reporters that retailers must adopt "generative engine optimization" to ensure their products appear in AI-generated shopping recommendations. "Marketplaces will plug into AI and AI will plug into marketplaces," Yang said. "Retailers should hedge their bets and stay agile."
Consumer adoption rates exceed 50% in China, India, Indonesia, and Thailand, according to a NielsenIQ survey showing 39% of Asia-Pacific consumers already use AI tools for shopping decisions.
Retailers Restructure Data for AI Consumption
Yang emphasized that businesses must structure and enrich product data for AI systems, warning that incomplete or poorly organized information risks being overlooked by chatbots making purchase recommendations. Key priorities include maintaining accurate pricing and inventory data, cultivating strong customer reviews that AI agents favor, and providing detailed product specifications.
Chinese dairy giant Yili implemented AI supply chain tools that reduced transport costs by 17% and boosted productivity by 5%, demonstrating early returns from AI investment in the consumer products sector.
A DHL eCommerce report found 81% of Asia-Pacific consumers demand AI shopping tools, with 47% already purchasing products via voice commands. Retailers are exploring in-house AI assistants and chat-based checkout systems that allow customers to discover, decide, and pay without switching between platforms.
Trust Concerns Slow Transaction Adoption
Despite growing usage for product research, approximately half of shoppers hesitate to let AI complete purchases due to concerns about privacy, accuracy, and fraud. Johann Suchon, senior vice president at Mastercard Asia-Pacific, projects that AI-driven shopping could still account for more than 25% of e-commerce transactions by 2030.
The shift comes as Southeast Asia's digital economy approaches $300 billion in gross merchandise value, with video commerce and AI tools contributing 25% of e-commerce activity. Social platforms like TikTok command 86% usage in Thailand and 81% in Malaysia for product discovery, while Douyin leads in China with 89% adoption.
Retailers face mounting pressure to optimize AI discovery channels as conversational platforms increasingly mediate the path to purchase. Yang advised companies to ensure product information meets AI consumption standards while monitoring how marketplaces and AI systems integrate with each other.
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