AI search, tools like ChatGPT's Instant Checkout, and personalized recommendations are changing how consumers discover and buy products.

“It’s a time of great opportunity,” said Josh Archer, senior vice president of data at agency LERMA. “The brands and influencers paying attention to how people are discovering and talking about their products will surge ahead.”

Shopping is the category where younger consumers have embraced AI the most. More than half (54%) of Gen Z prefers no AI involvement in creative work, but only 13% feel this way about shopping, according to an August Goldman Sachs survey.

As shoppers use chatbots and generative search alongside social feeds, marketers are reconsidering their approach to influencer content to stay relevant in the large language models (LLMs) where consumers are ready to shop.

Offering more curated results

Gaining visibility in LLMs aligns with building trust in influencer partnerships, said Alison Bringé, CMO of Launchmetrics.

“As AI transforms product discovery and purchase behavior, brands will increasingly invest in creators who can build authentic, lasting relationships, -not just drive clicks,” she said.

AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Meta AI are becoming more personalized engines, presenting an opportunity for marketers to take a more targeted approach than traditional SEO, said Archer.

“Folks tend to have a specific LLM that they train towards and want to use,” he said. “That is going to really change the way people discover new products and information, because they can fine-tune it themselves and really own the algorithm.”

Some 54% of shoppers say AI helps them compare products, a behavior long linked to affiliate marketing, according to a July Wildfire Systems survey.

Surfacing in these queries is about matching how consumers describe what they want conversationally, which may not align with a brand’s product language, said Archer.

“If someone searches for something that’s ‘long-lasting’ or ‘durable,’ and that same phrasing appears in your product description, you’re more likely to show up,” said Josh Archer, head of data at Lerma. “These systems are becoming a mirror of how people talk and what they’ve asked for before.”

Maintaining brand integrity in AI

As influencer content is increasingly scraped by AI systems, some experts warn that brand visuals and messaging could be distorted, which is another reason for marketers to keep messaging consistent across channels.

“AI is really bad with hallucination on assets,” said Omar Tawakol, CEO of Rembrand. “The technology problem we’re trying to solve is how to let visual language models manipulate images without distorting a brand’s identity.”

Adapting to AI doesn’t start with positioning content to surface in queries, said Bringé.

“AI’s real value is helping marketers identify the right voices who truly reflect their brand values,” she said. “When the match between creator and audience is authentic, performance naturally follows.”

Balancing creativity and clarity

Influencer marketing still plays a crucial role, but influencer content that is rooted in product education can keep posts circulating. An honest review of both pros and cons is the top aspect that drives purchase decisions (59%), according to a September 2024 Bazaarvoice survey.

Models increasingly “mirror back” language from posts that resonate with users, meaning that clear, descriptive storytelling can boost discoverability across both search and social platforms.

“If influencers are talking authentically about why they’re pushing the products they’re pushing, you’re going to see AI reflect that,” said Archer. “Having that be lined up as much as possible is going to matter.”

Choosing experimentation over certainty

While video content seems favored in AI indexing, its longevity is uncertain, said Archer. This unpredictability means marketers should experiment with AI systems without rigid standards.

“Staying nimble is the best advice,” said Archer. “The way content is indexed or ranked could change next month.”

This article was prepared with the assistance of generative AI tools to support content organization, summarization, and drafting. All AI-generated contributions have been reviewed, fact-checked, and verified for accuracy and originality by EMARKETER editors. Any recommendations reflect EMARKETER’s research and human judgment.