One Third of Israeli Youth Trust AI Recommendations Over Parents

A survey conducted by Mastercard and Opinium across 13 European countries and Israel revealed that Israeli youth are significantly ahead of their European peers in integrating artificial intelligence into their purchasing habits. The study, which polled 26,000 adults and teenagers, found that 68% of Israeli teenagers believe AI agents will handle their shopping in the future, compared to 57% in Europe. Notably, one in four Israeli teenagers already prefer AI recommendations to those of their parents, a figure rising to 32% among 17- to 18-year-olds. However, peer influence remains stronger, with only 19% of teens trusting AI more than their friends' opinions.

Third of teenagers reported that AI currently assists them in comparing options, checking prices, and making purchasing decisions. Half of the surveyed teens anticipate AI becoming a primary shopping method within a few years. In contrast, only one in five parents utilize AI for shopping. Generational differences in product category preferences were also observed: teens are more inclined to let AI agents shop for clothing and footwear (60.5%), electronics (44%), gifts (43%), and personal hygiene items (42%). Parents, however, would more readily entrust AI with organizing vacations (52%), purchasing home goods (51%), groceries (46%), and clothing (42%). Most adults still insist on final approval for any AI-generated purchase.

Eyal Paz, CEO of Mastercard Israel, commented that Israel is once again demonstrating its leadership in adopting next-generation consumer technologies. He noted that teenagers relying more on AI than their parents highlights the proximity of these changes. Paz also pointed out that peer recommendations still hold greater sway in Israel than in most European countries, suggesting that brands need to build trust alongside technological adoption for success.