As AI becomes a research assistant for millions, marketers are facing a new challenge: consumers increasingly prefer answers over advertising.
Not long ago, a typical online purchase journey began with a Google search, a few sponsored links, some reviews, and perhaps an influencer recommendation. Today, that journey is increasingly starting somewhere else.
Consumers looking for the best laptop under a budget, comparing skincare brands, planning a holiday, or choosing a financial product are increasingly turning to ChatGPT and other AI assistants before they visit a website or click on an advertisement.
The shift is not necessarily because consumers believe AI is always right. In fact, many still double-check AI-generated information. What appears to be changing is the way people evaluate trust. Instead of relying solely on promotional messages from brands, consumers are showing a growing preference for conversational systems that summarize information, compare options, answer questions, and reduce the effort involved in making decisions.
The development presents a significant challenge for marketers. For decades, advertising has been one of the primary ways brands influence consumer decisions. But as generative AI becomes embedded into everyday discovery, the role of advertising is being questioned in new ways.
Recent consumer research from Adobe, IAB, BCG, Ipsos, Accenture, Meltwater and other organizations suggests that AI assistants are becoming trusted decision-making tools, particularly during product research and evaluation.
The question is no longer whether consumers are using AI. It is whether brands can maintain trust when consumers increasingly prefer asking a chatbot over watching an ad.
The rise of the conversational advisor
The scale of AI adoption partly explains why this conversation has become impossible to ignore.
OpenAI reported earlier this year that ChatGPT surpassed 900 million weekly active users globally. What began as a productivity tool is now being used for shopping research, travel planning, financial education, healthcare information, and product discovery.
Unlike traditional advertising formats, ChatGPT does not ask users to stop what they are doing and pay attention. Instead, users actively seek it out when they need help.
This distinction matters.
Advertising has historically relied on interruption. AI assistants operate through interaction.
Consumers ask questions. The system responds. Follow-up questions create context. Recommendations are tailored to specific needs.
That experience increasingly resembles consultation rather than promotion.
Research from Boston Consulting Group found that shopping-related generative AI usage grew by 35% between February and November 2025. More than 60% of respondents in the study reported high levels of trust in generative AI outputs. Several participants described AI interactions as similar to having a conversation with an expert who could explain options and narrow choices.
The finding highlights a key difference between AI and advertising.
Consumers do not simply receive information from AI. They participate in obtaining it.
Consumers trust what helps them decide
One of the strongest themes emerging across multiple studies is that consumers associate trust with utility.
Adobe’s latest retail research found that AI-driven traffic to retail websites increased by 393% year-on-year during the first quarter of 2026.
More importantly, Adobe’s consumer survey revealed that 39% of consumers had already used AI assistants while shopping online. Among those users, 85% said AI improved their shopping experience, while 79% reported feeling more confident about purchase decisions after using AI tools.
Confidence is becoming one of the most important indicators in this shift.
Consumers often describe shopping as overwhelming. Hundreds of products, conflicting reviews, sponsored content, influencer promotions, and comparison websites compete for attention.
AI assistants simplify that environment.
A consumer researching running shoes can ask for recommendations under a specific budget, suitable for flat feet, and available in a particular region. Instead of opening ten browser tabs, they receive a structured answer with explanations.
The convenience creates a perception of objectivity, even if consumers remain aware that AI systems can make mistakes.
As David Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of IAB, observed in recent commerce research, “AI is reinventing the traditional shopping journey.”
That reinvention is increasingly happening during the research phase, which has historically been one of advertising’s strongest influence points.
AI is becoming a major shopping influence
Another indication of changing consumer behavior comes from research conducted by IAB and Talk Shoppe.
The study found that nearly 40% of American shoppers now use AI tools while shopping. Among AI users, these platforms have already become the second most influential source during purchase decisions, ranking behind search engines but ahead of retailer websites, mobile apps, and even recommendations from friends and family.
For marketers, that ranking is significant.
Word-of-mouth recommendations have long been considered one of the most trusted forms of influence. The fact that AI is beginning to compete with, and in some cases surpass, traditional recommendation channels demonstrates how quickly consumer habits are evolving.
The study also found that 81% of AI shoppers believe AI makes shopping easier, while 77% say it increases confidence in their decisions.
Jack Koch, Senior Vice President of Research and Insights at IAB, summarized the shift by saying, “AI isn’t replacing how consumers shop, it’s enhancing it.”
That enhancement appears to be rooted in efficiency.
Consumers increasingly value tools that reduce complexity and save time. Trust follows when those tools consistently help them reach satisfactory outcomes.
Advertising’s credibility challenge is becoming more visible
The growing appeal of AI arrives at a time when advertising is facing a longstanding trust problem.
Consumers have become accustomed to targeted advertising, sponsored recommendations, influencer endorsements, and algorithmic content feeds. While these methods remain effective in many contexts, years of exposure have made audiences increasingly aware of persuasive intent.
Most consumers understand that advertisements are designed to influence behavior.
AI assistants, by contrast, are often perceived as tools designed to answer questions.
Whether that perception is entirely accurate is almost secondary. What matters is how consumers experience the interaction.
A February 2026 Ipsos Consumer Tracker study illustrates this tension clearly.
The research found that 63% of Americans would trust AI search results less if advertisements appeared within them. Only 36% believed advertising would make AI-assisted shopping easier.
The findings suggest that consumers distinguish between the utility of AI and the promotional nature of advertising.
They may accept recommendations from an AI assistant. But once those recommendations appear influenced by commercial incentives, trust begins to erode.
This presents a dilemma for both AI companies and advertisers.
The commercial internet has largely been built on advertising. Yet consumers increasingly appear to value environments that feel less commercial.
The perception of neutrality matters
One reason AI recommendations often feel more trustworthy is that they typically present multiple options instead of promoting a single brand.
Consumers can ask ChatGPT to compare smartphones, insurance providers, streaming services, or travel destinations and receive side-by-side explanations.
Traditional advertisements rarely work this way.
An advertisement usually highlights benefits while minimizing weaknesses. Its purpose is persuasion.
AI-generated answers often include trade-offs.
One laptop may have better battery life but weaker performance. One skincare product may be affordable but unsuitable for sensitive skin.
The format naturally creates a perception of balance.
According to BCG’s consumer research, shoppers frequently described AI recommendations as direct, transparent, and personalized. Several respondents indicated that AI felt more objective than traditional marketing communications.
That does not necessarily mean AI is objectively unbiased.
Rather, consumers perceive the interaction as more aligned with their interests because the system appears to respond to their questions rather than promote a predetermined message.
In a marketplace increasingly saturated with content, perception can strongly influence trust.
The trust gap is not absolute
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding AI, consumers are not blindly accepting every recommendation.
Multiple studies show that verification remains common.
IAB research found that only 46% of shoppers fully trust AI-generated recommendations. Meanwhile, 89% still verify information before making purchases.
This distinction is important.
Consumers are not replacing critical thinking with automation. Instead, they are using AI as an initial filter.
The process increasingly looks like this: ask AI for options, evaluate recommendations, verify details, then purchase.
In that model, AI becomes the starting point rather than the final authority.
Capgemini’s latest consumer research found that concerns around privacy, transparency, and decision-making remain significant. More than 70% of respondents expressed concerns about how generative AI systems use personal data.
Similarly, research from Visa’s work on agentic commerce found that transparency and control remain essential trust factors. Consumers want visibility into how recommendations are generated and the ability to override automated decisions.
Trust, therefore, remains conditional.
Consumers appear willing to rely on AI when they understand its role and maintain control over outcomes.
AI-generated advertising faces its own challenge
Interestingly, consumer skepticism increases again when AI moves from assistant to advertiser.
Canva’s 2026 State of Marketing and AI report found that 68% of consumers are comfortable with AI being used in advertising if it makes content more relevant or useful.
However, the same study revealed notable reservations.
Nearly eight in ten respondents said they would still prefer advertisements created by humans. Most also believed that the best advertising requires human creativity and judgment.
Consumers appear to draw a distinction between AI helping them make decisions and AI attempting to influence them.
That distinction could become increasingly important as brands expand their use of AI-generated content.
Research from Meltwater and YouGov found that 86% of consumers believe AI-generated content should be clearly disclosed. Many respondents indicated that undisclosed AI-generated material could reduce trust in brands.
The findings suggest that transparency may become a competitive advantage rather than merely a compliance requirement.
What this means for marketers
For marketers, the growing trust in AI assistants should not be interpreted as the end of advertising.
Advertising still plays a crucial role in building awareness, shaping perception, creating emotional connections, and driving demand.
What is changing is the point at which consumers seek guidance.
Historically, advertising often influenced both discovery and evaluation.
Today, discovery may still occur through advertising, social media, or search. But evaluation is increasingly happening inside conversational AI platforms.
That means brands may need to focus less on simply being seen and more on being understood.
Clear product information, transparent claims, accurate specifications, authentic reviews, and consistent data are becoming more important because AI systems rely on those signals when generating responses.
The competitive battlefield is gradually shifting from visibility alone to information quality.
Accenture’s latest consumer research captures the scale of that change. The study found that 74% of consumers would trust a personal AI agent more than their best friend to make certain purchase decisions on their behalf.
The statistic does not suggest consumers trust machines more than people in every circumstance.
Instead, it reflects growing confidence in systems that can process large amounts of information quickly and provide recommendations tailored to specific needs.
That confidence is reshaping how purchase decisions are made.
For decades, marketers focused on reaching consumers. Increasingly, consumers are turning to AI systems to help them reach conclusions.
That subtle difference may define the next chapter of digital marketing.
Consumers are not necessarily rejecting advertising. They are rewarding assistance. And in an environment overloaded with messages, the tool that helps people understand a choice may increasingly be trusted more than the message asking them to make one.
Disclaimer: All data points and statistics are attributed to published research studies and verified market research. All quotes are either sourced directly or attributed to public statements.
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