AI Spending: $3.35T by 2030, Says WARC & PHD Report

Global consumer spending facilitated by agentic artificial intelligence is projected to more than triple to $3.35 trillion by 2030. This would account for 3.8% of total global consumer spending. Currently, AI-assisted consumer spending is estimated at $944 billion, representing 1.3% of global consumer expenditure. What's interesting is that AI agents are rapidly evolving from recommendation tools into autonomous decision-making assistants. They will influence what consumers discover, compare, and ultimately purchase. The report highlights that telecoms and utilities, financial services, and travel and transport will experience the highest levels of autonomous AI transactions. Telecoms and utilities are forecast to see the fastest growth, with AI-facilitated consumer spending rising 611.9% from 2026 to 2030. The United States is expected to remain the largest market, contributing $1.1 trillion. China is projected to become the second-largest market with $505.8 billion. The United Kingdom is expected to contribute $131.2 billion. The bottom line is that AI agents will increasingly shape purchasing decisions, fundamentally changing the customer journey and the marketing ecosystem.