The path to purchase describes how consumers move from initial awareness to buying a product or service. In 2026, that journey looks nothing like the linear funnel marketers once relied on. Generative AI (genAI) tools, social commerce platforms, and compressed decision cycles are creating new routes to conversion that bypass traditional search-and-browse patterns. This FAQ examines what is driving these shifts and how marketers can adapt.

Consumers are increasingly making decisions inside AI conversations, before traditional signals ever appear. That shift is creating a new visibility gap between brands that can access early intent and those that can’t.

AI has already overhauled how retailers think about the beginning of consumers' purchasing journey. How AI can help in the middle of that funnel, as consumers deciding what and where to purchase, is starting to take shape.

The ecommerce playbook is changing as AI disruptors reshape the path to purchase. In this video, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves explores how discovery, decision-making, and loyalty are evolving—and what retailers and brands must do to stay competitive.

63% of US adults say having ads in AI search results would make them trust those results less, according to a January survey from Ipsos.

Around half of Americans are turning to the AI tool for clarity on test results and a second opinion, but still default to doctors for prescription questions and image analysis.

This FAQ covers what AI creative optimization is, which tools are available, how consumers react, and how marketing teams should reorganize for the shift.

Agentic shopping could account for more than a quarter of ecommerce spending within the next few years, according to a September 2025 Boston Consulting Group report. But that potential hinges on retailers integrating AI into the shopping journey in ways that feel beneficial to consumers.

ChatGPT ads could open up in a second window via a partnership with Smartly

AI is collapsing discovery and checkout into one flow, shifting control of payments upstream. New protocols, agent logic, and data control will decide which payment providers capture value.

A leaked Amazon deck positions its Rufus AI shopping assistant as a high-intent retail media channel with CPC pricing on the horizon.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT ads top $100 million in annualized revenues, but fast growth masks weak proof of results.

Consumers turn to search engines first for answers to health-related questions, even as social, video, and AI tools gain ground. Meanwhile, streaming TV is reshaping healthcare ad reach. Digital drives health-related action—but trust gaps shadow every channel.

This FAQ covers how consumers and marketers are adapting to generative AI, the risks that accompany its growth, and what strategies brands should prioritize in 2026.

AI is reshaping how people discover, evaluate, and buy products. As assistants and emerging agents take on more of the shopping journey, retailers must rethink how they surface products and compete for influence in the purchase journey.

OpenAI brings ads to all US free users, but manual buys, thin metrics, and $200K tests cloud ROI.

Teenagers today are digital natives in the truest sense, but their digital lives reveal surprising nuances about device preferences, social spaces, and emerging technologies that marketers need to understand.

Social teams are rethinking YouTube as Shorts surges, both long-form and episodic content gain traction, and generative search reshapes discovery. But legacy silos and cost concerns still hold many back, even as audiences and creators are leaning in.