AI tools expand into finance and shopping, but expert urges caution - AZ Family

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Artificial intelligence tools are moving into personal finance and online shopping, offering automated budgeting and product comparisons, but an expert said consumers should carefully consider the trade-offs before trying these new features.

Paid ChatGPT accounts now include Finances in ChatGPT, a feature that connects bank accounts through Plaid and credit report data through Experian. The chatbot tracks spending by category, flags subscriptions to cancel, compares monthly expenses and charts net worth over time.

Users can even ask for insights on their taxes and stocks, although OpenAI says ChatGPT is not a fiduciary and its answers are for “informational and planning purposes only.”

Alice Pope, a former Amazon executive and author of “The Trust Algorithm,” told Generation AI that consumers should approach these offerings with a healthy amount of skepticism.

“Just as ChatGPT can give you great responses, there are also scammers that may have access to that if there’s a breach,” Pope said. “So I would say you can use those features, but just be cautious.”

While chatbots have improved, she noted they can also give inaccurate or outdated answers, something OpenAI also mentions when users sign up for Finances.

“If you’re trusting ChatGPT as it relates to your finance, what if it gives you a recommendation to sell a particular stock and that stock wasn’t one that you should have sold?” Pope said. “So you just have to verify.”

Shoppers use AI to research, not to buy

Consumers are increasingly relying on AI to research products. A NielsenIQ survey found 51% of U.S. consumers used at least one AI-powered tool to help them shop in the past month. Globally, a survey from IAB found 72% used general-purpose AI assistants for shopping decisions.

But most shoppers stop short of letting AI complete the transaction. A Gartner survey found just 11% of consumers are willing to let AI make the purchase for them.

Pope said she uses AI to compare brands and prices but hasn’t handed it her credit card.

“I have not trusted it yet to make the final purchase,” Pope said. “I just don’t think we’re there yet, especially because of some of the breaches that have occurred lately.”

It’s also not always clear what’s sponsored in a chatbot’s answer, or whether a recommendation reflects a company’s business deals. Pope pointed to Amazon’s decision to block Muse, Meta’s new AI shopping agent, as a sign that tech companies will compete to control where shoppers land.

“You will never know if you’re getting a 100% recommendation,” she said. “However, you can do some audits.”

Her advice: After narrowing down your search with AI, check the retailer’s website and read reviews before finalizing a purchase.

Pope also urged people not to share passport numbers, Social Security numbers or medical records with unsecured AI tools.

“Once your information is out there, it is out there,” she said.

Watch new episodes of Generation AI Wednesday nights at 7 pm on AZ Family+

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