AI is gaining real influence over what consumers buy, but that influence can unravel fast if the brand’s website doesn’t back it up. New research from Contentsquare finds that when an AI recommendation leads to a disappointing website experience, only 3% of consumers would complete the purchase anyway. The other 97% would reconsider their next move: 57% would keep researching, 23% would switch brands and 16% would abandon the purchase entirely.
That risk matters more as AI’s role expands beyond search and discovery into real influence over shopping decisions. Two-thirds (67%) of consumers say they’d trust an AI recommendation over that of a social media creator or influencer when evaluating an unfamiliar brand, and nearly half (47%) say AI has changed their mind about which brand to buy. For brands, the stakes are growing: AI can influence the choice, but the experience that follows still determines what consumers do next.
“As companies pour money into AEO and GEO to make their brands visible to AI, the next question is: what happens after the AI sends the customer your way?” said Jean-Christophe Pitié, CMO of Contentsquare. “Visibility only creates value if it converts or drives loyalty, translates into action, and that ROI ultimately lives in conversion. If the experience that follows is slow, confusing or frustrating, no amount of AI-driven discoverability will deliver the return businesses expect. The companies closing that gap are the ones building customer confidence through great end-to-end experiences.”
AI is changing what makes the shopping shortlist
AI recommendations are translating into actual consumer spending, with 57% of consumers saying it’s already influenced real money out of their pocket. Of this group, spending varied by amount: 21% of all consumers spent between $50 and $150 on AI-influenced purchases, 14% spent between $150 and $500, and 5% spent $500 or more.
AI is taking on a bigger role in how consumers shop, with 36% saying AI has replaced traditional search engines for at least some shopping activities:
- 53% use it to find the best price or deal;
- 52% use it to compare products; and
- 29% use it to discover new brands.
AI is no longer simply helping consumers find information. It is increasingly shaping which products they consider, which brands make the shortlist and where they ultimately spend.
Millennials are powering the AI shopping shift
The shift is especially pronounced among Millennials. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of consumers ages 30-44 are likely to use AI when shopping online — either most times they shop or whenever it’s built into the shopping experience — compared with 70% of Gen Z (ages 18-29) and 65% of Gen X (ages 45-60).
Millennials also lead every generation in using AI to discover new brands (35%) and find the best price or deal (57%), putting AI to work across both discovery and consideration.
AI can shape expectations – and the disconnect can derail the purchase
AI shapes expectations before a customer ever reaches a brand’s website – but those expectations aren’t always met. About one in five consumers (21%) say an AI shopping assistant gave them information that differed from what they found on a brand’s website, while 20% say AI did not provide enough detail to buy with confidence.
As AI increasingly introduces products, compares brands and shapes consideration, brands are now a layer removed from what forms a customer’s first impression. When AI and the brand don’t agree, that disconnect can derail the sale —sending shoppers back into research, toward a competitor, or away from the purchase entirely.
“Brands have spent years trying to create a single source of truth for customers; AI just created another one,” added Pitié. “Consumers are forming opinions based on what AI tells them long before they reach a website. Brands need to make sure that information is consistent – and that the website experience proves the recommendation right, not wrong. That’s the real proving ground of AI business value.”
Methodology
Contentsquare surveyed 2,000 consumers across the U.S. and France via Pollfish. Respondents were asked about their use of AI for online shopping, brand discovery and consideration, purchase decisions, agentic commerce and digital experiences.
All figures cited in this release reflect the stratified/weighted global results across the combined U.S. and France sample.
About Contentsquare
Contentsquare is a leader in digital analytics, empowering businesses of all sizes with the insights they need to understand customers and deliver seamless experiences at scale. Its all-in-one experience intelligence platform provides rich and contextual insight into customer behaviors, sentiment and intent across all channels, helping businesses continuously deliver the right experience on web, mobile and apps. More than 1.3M websites worldwide rely on Contentsquare’s AI-powered platform to grow their business, drive customer loyalty and operate with greater efficiency in a constantly changing world. To learn more, visit www.contentsquare.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260902104356/en/
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