UK retailer John Lewis sees 8-fold rise in AI shopping

A year ago, just 0.3% of John Lewis customers used AI tools like ChatGPT to search for products. That figure has climbed to 2.5%, according to outgoing managing director Peter Ruis, who says usage is growing exponentially across every age group.

Gift List, the latest vodcast series from John Lewis, features TV presenter Angela Scanlon and is available on YouTube with clips available for other social media platforms.

The guests will speak about their favourite or worst gifts that they have been either given or sent out, and Louis Theroux, broadcaster, will feature in the first episode. Six episodes are planned before Christmas, with many more in case of good reception.

According to AI large language models, people are more likely to rely on third-party recommendations and live information rather than messages from brands while answering their shopping questions, and this puts pressure on retail companies to reconsider their online presence.

John Lewis's strategy is embedded in the £800 million multi-year investment project that covers all 36 John Lewis stores and online assets.

Ruis pointed to the ability to quickly produce influencer or expert clips around emerging trends, the British Museum's Bayeux tapestry exhibition spurring interest in cross stitching, for instance, or the new Harry Potter TV series ahead of Christmas, as now carrying as much weight as the chain's festive TV advert.

Ruis departs this weekend after almost three years running John Lewis, having announced last month he was leaving to "pursue new projects". He described the wider economy as "a bit swirly", citing inflation and fuel costs, and said next month's budget would land at a "critical period" for retailers who need more help on business rates.