The news: AI is becoming a de facto consumer advisor, and its recommendations are influencing brand outcomes. Nearly half (47%) of US adults have taken an action based on information from AI, per a Skyword survey conducted by Dynata.

• 19% have avoided making a purchase based on what AI told them about a brand.
• 17% have switched brands because of information AI gave them.

In addition, when consumers think AI information conflicts with a brand’s messaging, more than half (54%) will resort to outside sources to compare, while less than one-third (29%) trust brand-owned information over AI results.

What it means: Word of mouth, owned channels, and search visibility have traditionally been top focuses of marketers’ attention. AI-generated answers and summaries are now another gateway through which consumers discover, evaluate, and compare brands.

Because AI systems pull information from across the web, they can amplify both positive and negative narratives while reducing a brand’s ability to control the customer experience.

While AI can be a catalyst for further research, sufficient answers can turn it into a hub for zero-click search behavior where users stick with the information they find in-chat and don’t click through to learn more. This reduces web traffic and further weakens brands’ power.

Recommendations for brands: As consumers use AI more frequently—67% of Gen Zers use AI more often now than they did a year ago, per Skyword and Dynata—brands must think beyond traditional SEO and owned media strategies.

• Maintain a strong digital footprint across trusted third-party sources by setting up and managing official pages on channels like Facebook and Reddit where consumers can get accurate product details and company information.
• Audit multiple AI engines to see what brand information is appearing and which keywords and phrases in prompts trigger brand mentions.
• Set up structured customer review sections so consumers can compare AI details with other shoppers’ experiences.

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