- Among them, 57% say it helps them save money.
- A new survey highlights a growing habit and its impact on personal finances.
Approximately two in five Canadians (39%) include generative artificial intelligence (AI) in their purchasing decisions, pointing to a shift in how they approach consumer choices, according to a Léger survey conducted in June 2026 on behalf of National Bank.
Among these users, AI goes well beyond serving as a comparison tool and is now part of many aspects of daily life. Those who use AI do so for health and wellness questions (36%), food/meals/recipes (32%), purchasing products or services (31%), travel (28%), entertainment (24%) and personal finances (23%).
The perceived benefits are significant: 80% of users say AI tools help them better compare options, while 57% say they help them save money.
Despite these advantages, some alertness remains. In fact, 28% of users say they have regretted a purchase recommended by these tools. More broadly, the results show that 61% of these respondents believe AI influences their purchasing decisions more than advertising, and 23% say it encourages them to spend more.
Quote
"These results show that AI is quickly becoming second nature for Canadians. With our survey on AI usage, we wanted to better understand how Canadians are using new technologies to make a range of important life decisions — whether it’s everyday purchases or larger, more complex projects. This is where human expertise makes a real difference — whether from a financial advisor or a business owner — by understanding clients and their goals to deliver guidance that leads to decisions truly aligned with their needs and objectives."
– Pierre Dufour, Senior Vice-President – Strategy and Client Experience at National Bank
Highlights
The survey results point to several key insights:
- 39% of Canadians say they have used a generative AI tool in the past 12 months to support a purchasing decision, showing it is now part of the shopping and decision-making process.
- Quebec has the highest usage rate, with 45% of respondents saying they have used AI for a purchasing decision, above the national average (39%). Ontario stands at 41%, Atlantic Canada at 35%, Alberta and British Columbia at 34%, while Manitoba and Saskatchewan are at 28%.
- Among users, 47% say AI has a moderate to significant impact on their purchasing decisions, compared with 53% who say it has little or no impact.With regard to the age groups of users, AI has a moderate to significant impact on purchasing decisions for 56% of those aged 18–34, compared with 45% of those aged 35–54 and 37% of those aged 55 and over.
- 57% of users say AI helps them save money.
- 23% of those who used AI for a purchasing decision use it for their personal finances (budgeting, saving, investing).
- 28% say that AI has recommended a purchase they later regretted.
In the past 12 months, have you used a generative artificial intelligence tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) to help you make a purchase decision?