Artificial intelligence is learning to order food, compare prices, book holidays and complete other everyday tasks. But that does not mean Indians will abandon apps such as Swiggy, Zomato or MakeMyTrip anytime soon.
Bank of America said the next phase of consumer AI could see digital assistants carry out shopping, travel and financial tasks on behalf of users. However, it said there is little evidence yet that Indian consumers are ready to replace specialist apps with a single AI assistant.
The report said India has the ingredients for wider AI adoption, including a large online population, low-cost mobile data and growing use of large language models. Even so, it argued that consumer behaviour-not technology-may prove to be the bigger obstacle.
“Despite multiple companies launching agentic AI, we believe it is bit early to say if agentic AI will pick-up in a meaningful manner in India,” the report said.
India Still Prefers Specialist Apps
According to Bank of America, one of the biggest reasons is that India has never embraced the super-app model that became popular in some other markets.
Consumers continue to use separate apps for food delivery, travel bookings, shopping and payments rather than relying on one platform for every service.
“Super-apps never picked up in India, as users preferred specialized verticals versus horizontal apps. Consumer behavior doesn’t change fast,” the report said.
The bank said this raises questions over whether a single AI assistant will be able to replace multiple consumer apps, even as companies race to build more advanced AI services.
Trust Remains A Key Barrier
The report also said Indian consumers are generally cautious when making purchases online.
It described India as a relatively low-trust market, where buyers often verify information before placing orders. Concerns over inconsistent quality, fraud risks and unfamiliar sellers mean consumers are unlikely to allow AI assistants to automatically buy products from unknown platforms simply because they offer lower prices.
Bank of America also said many online purchases still involve advice from family members, influencers, WhatsApp groups or store staff, particularly outside major cities.
“These Indian consumers need hand holding and are unlikely to transition to an end-to-end agentic shopping experience,” the report said.
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AI Partnerships Are Expanding
The report noted that AI companies are steadily moving beyond search and into services that help users complete tasks.
It said OpenAI has partnered with Indian platforms including Eternal, Nykaa, MakeMyTrip and Ixigo as ChatGPT evolves from what it described as a search tool into a consumer “action engine”, where users can discover products, compare options and complete transactions.
Bank of America said those partnerships could help established platforms if more consumers begin using AI assistants to shop or make bookings.
The report added that OpenAI has chosen category leaders rather than challengers for these partnerships, helping those companies prepare for any shift in how consumers search for and buy products online.
AI Is Likely To Stay Inside Existing Apps
Rather than replacing established consumer apps, Bank of America expects most companies to build AI assistants into their existing platforms.
The report said shopping, travel and financial planning are likely to be among the first areas where AI agents gain wider use. However, it said full automation will take time because consumer trust, buying habits and regulatory safeguards continue to shape how people make decisions.
For now, the bank’s view is that AI is more likely to become another feature inside familiar apps than replace those apps altogether.
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