Gen X shoppers still begin most product searches where they always have. Among Gen X consumers who researched online before their most recent purchase, 50% used Google, 40% used Walmart and 39% used Amazon, while ChatGPT reached 21% and Gemini 17%, according to PYMNTS Intelligence's Gen X report, published in October 2026.
AI plays a supporting role for this generation. In July 2026, 18% of Gen X consumers said they typically started online retail research with an AI tool, and 56% said they would rather shop in a physical store. Among the Gen X consumers who did use AI to discover products, 67% used Gemini and 46% named it the most helpful, ahead of ChatGPT at 48% and 34%. Millennials ranked the two the other way around.
A second development, from October 9, 2026, concerns how a business can be read by more than one assistant at once. Sierra, which is developing the Personal Agent Protocol with Meta, published a draft of the protocol and named 35 more design partners, among them OpenAI, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and Target. A business publishes a file at /.well-known/poppy.json on its website so a customer's personal agent can find it, and the customer signs in through OAuth to grant the agent access. One token then works across the company's APIs, its website and conversations with its own agent.
The draft is an early step. Sierra says it will run design workshops over the following month and then publish a reference implementation. Its direction suits a customer base spread across several assistants, because one published description of a business can serve any agent that supports the protocol.
The near-term work is in the PYMNTS numbers. If your customers skew Gen X, make sure your products read well on Google, Walmart and Amazon first, then ask Gemini and ChatGPT the questions those customers ask about your category and judge your product pages by both answers.
Common questions
Where do Gen X shoppers start looking for products?
Among Gen X consumers who researched online before their most recent purchase, 50% used Google, 40% Walmart and 39% Amazon. ChatGPT reached 21% and Gemini 17%, according to PYMNTS Intelligence.
Which AI assistant do Gen X shoppers use most?
Among Gen X consumers who have used AI to discover products, 67% used Gemini and 46% named it the most helpful, compared with 48% and 34% for ChatGPT, according to PYMNTS Intelligence.
How many Gen X shoppers start their research with AI?
In July 2026, 18% of Gen X consumers said they typically started online retail research with an AI tool. More than half, 56%, said they would rather shop in a physical store.
What does the Personal Agent Protocol draft cover?
Sierra, which is developing the protocol with Meta, published a draft on October 9, 2026, with 35 additional design partners. A business publishes a /.well-known/poppy.json file so personal agents can find it, and a customer grants an agent access by signing in through OAuth.