Affiliates are scrambling to reposition themselves as AI expands its role in the consumer journey. As they move, they’re facing an uncomfortable question of how to position themselves as a channel that’s less rooted in performance.

Key Question: How is the affiliate marketing ecosystem responding to changes caused by rising consumer AI use?

Key Stat: Four different metrics are used by at least half of affiliate program managers in the US to gauge the effectiveness of affiliate content on AI visibility efforts, per June research from the Performance Marketing Association (PMA).