July 25, 2025
AI Gains Ground in Purchases but Phone Calls Still Rule for Help
Consumers are warming up to AI in the buyer journey, but they draw the line at losing access to real people, according to new research from Invoca.
The B2C Buyer Experience Report 2025, based on a survey of 1,000 consumers making complex, high-value purchases in sectors such as healthcare, financial services, insurance, telecoms, and travel, reveals that 77% are comfortable using AI tools as long as they can also reach a human representative. For more complicated needs, 67% prefer speaking to a person.
Peter Isaacson, CMO at Invoca, said: “AI has fundamentally changed how consumers research and arrive at purchase decisions. They’re showing up ready to buy, armed with AI-generated insights and competitor comparisons. If you’re responsible for driving revenue at a B2C brand, you’ve seen the shift firsthand. But in high-stakes moments like buying a car or choosing insurance, customer experience can still make or break the sale.”
Generative AI is now part of the early research process for many consumers. The study found that 41% of consumers use tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to compare options, clarify confusing information, or prepare questions for sales reps. Still, traditional search engines dominate. Only 2% rely mostly on AI, while 46% stick to search engines alone and 44% use both.
Younger buyers are one of the main drivers of this shift. Among Baby Boomers, just 20% use both AI and traditional search, compared to much higher adoption among younger generations.
Even as AI gains a foothold, human interaction is not being replaced. In fact, more people are picking up the phone for support. The report shows that 44% of consumers now prefer calling a business for help, up from 32% in 2022. Phone calls are also the most-used support channel, with 67% saying they contacted a business this way during their buying process.
AI is still welcomed when it adds speed and convenience. Seventy-four percent said they prefer AI if it resolves an issue faster than a person. However, trust and satisfaction rely on maintaining human access. The majority of respondents (84%) said human connection is important during major purchase decisions.
There is also a growing willingness to pay for better service, with 70% saying they would spend more for a superior customer experience, compared to 63% in 2022.
