AI Is Reshaping Luxury Shopping Faster Than Brands Are Adapting, Bain Report Finds

A new report from Bain & Company reveals a growing disconnect between luxury consumers' rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and the slower implementation pace of luxury brands. While AI has become a top strategic priority for over 60% of luxury companies, most initiatives remain confined to back-office pilots rather than customer-facing applications. This trend is particularly significant for the luxury sector as high-spending shoppers increasingly rely on AI for discovery and decision-making, challenging traditional brand control over the customer experience.

According to a study by Bain & Company conducted with Comité Colbert, luxury consumers are integrating artificial intelligence into their shopping habits much faster than brands are adapting their marketing and sales strategies. While 61% of surveyed luxury companies, including jewelry and watch brands, now rank AI among their top ten priorities, the majority of these efforts are still in testing phases. Currently, luxury maisons have deployed AI in only about one in five customer-facing functions, preferring to focus investments on operational and back-office tasks. This lag is notable given that 54% of U.S. luxury buyers and 64% of Chinese luxury buyers reported using AI during their most recent purchase as of April 2026.

The report emphasizes that AI usage is highest among the industry's most critical demographic, with 82% of large luxury purchasers using the technology during their latest purchase journey. These consumers utilize AI to research products, seek styling advice, compare prices, and summarize reviews, with 97% of users planning to use AI for future luxury purchases. Shoppers report that AI tools facilitate faster, more objective decision-making and provide reassurance on product quality and fit. However, this shift presents a risk to brand narrative control, as approximately 70% of luxury searches on generative platforms are unbranded, meaning consumers are discovering products through third-party AI interpretations rather than direct brand engagement.

Generative search engines have emerged as a vital battleground, yet official brand websites represent only 45% of cited sources in jewelry-related AI queries. Joëlle de Montgolfier, executive vice president for Bain’s global retail and luxury practice, noted that luxury houses face a twofold urgency to move from internal experimentation to real business impact while building a presence in new discovery environments. Despite the pressure to modernize, luxury executives remain cautious about replacing human interactions with AI, fearing a loss of the personalized service and heritage that defines the sector. The report concludes that brands must find a balance between adopting rapid technological shifts and maintaining the high-touch, personalized customer relationships central to the luxury value proposition.