The current state of AI chat adoption parallels the internet's development in the mid-1990s.

"We're three and a half years post ChatGPT launch," said Brian Sykora, executive vice president of strategy and operations at Verve, speaking with our analyst Arielle Feger, during EMARKETER’s Ad Buyer Strategies Summit. "The internet at that time was a destination. It was something you did. In many ways, we're experiencing the same cycle with AI."

With AI chat adoption still in its early stages, marketers must begin collecting and analyzing LLM data now to stay competitive.

Arielle Feger and Brian Sykora speaking at EMARKETER's Ad Buyer Strategies Summit

LLM conversations reveal deeper intent signals than traditional search

Verve has combined over a billion signals from on-site search and LLMs to create a comprehensive view of consumer journeys, recognizing that consumers now start their research across multiple channels including chat, traditional search, and direct-to-retailer platforms like Amazon.

Analysis of LLM interactions shows approximately 60% of prompts are informational while 40% are transactional. However, the depth of information gathered from a single LLM session far exceeds traditional search data points.

Consider a consumer training for a marathon who engages with an AI chatbot. In sports and fitness categories, users average 23 prompts per session, potentially uploading data from Oura rings, Whoop devices, and Apple Health. A single conversation can yield insights about running shoe preferences, dietary requirements, training location needs, and custom workout planning.

"In the world of search, there was a single data point," said Sykora. "If you're going through that training for a marathon experience, you're getting dozens of audience signals that can be used for targeting down the line."

AI recommendation engines are powerful but unpredictable

Current Verve data shows consumers typically engage through approximately six prompts before jumping to an ecommerce site to complete their purchase.

Conversion timing varies significantly by category. Conversions occur within 48 hours for high-intent categories like flights or buying a new phone, but for other categories, conversion windows extend up to two weeks

This pattern underscores the importance of understanding consumer intention and position in the buying cycle for each interaction.

Because LLM training data comes primarily from the open internet, brand representation shows significant volatility and platform-specific bias.

Verve analysis reveals week-to-week fluctuations and platform bias, as well as category differences. For example, fast fashion brands appear in 40% of LLM responses, the inverse of their traditional Google search presence.

Brands that appear in LLM responses see tangible downstream effects. When Adidas received mentions in AI chat conversations, Verve found the brand experienced a 7% increase in branded search activity, demonstrating a clear connection between LLM presence and consumer action.

Practical guidance for navigating the AI chat landscape

Marketers should focus on several key priorities:

• Collect data aggressively. The more LLM interaction data brands gather now, the better positioned they'll be as the channel matures.
• Connect AI chat to the broader consumer journey. LLM interactions represent just one touchpoint. Brands must integrate this data with traditional search, on-site behavior, and offline sales to understand true impact.
• Measure beyond mentions. Share of prompt and response matters, but the ultimate metric is business outcomes. Tying LLM mentions to regional sales data or search lift provides actionable intelligence.
• Understand the consumer perspective. How enterprise teams use AI for work differs dramatically from consumer applications. Marketers must focus on the value AI provides to everyday users and how it fits into their decision-making process.

"We are still so early in this cycle," Sykora emphasized. "Analyzing the data that we do have and collecting as much of it as possible" remains the most critical action for brands navigating this evolving landscape.

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