New Data Reveals AI's Growing Influence on Consumer Brand Consideration

What Happened

A recent study by We Are Talker highlights how artificial intelligence is reshaping the consumer purchasing journey. Consumers are increasingly relying on AI to filter brands before visiting a company website, a phenomenon the agency calls the Invisible Shortlist.

Research involving 2,000 U.S. adults indicates that 70% of users discover new products through AI tools. While this creates opportunities for visibility, it also introduces significant risks, as 68% of respondents reported that AI-generated information has led them to exclude specific brands from their final decision-making process.

The findings suggest that traditional search engine optimization is no longer sufficient. Brands now face the challenge of establishing credibility and providing verifiable data that AI models can interpret and prioritize during the recommendation phase.

The Core Points

70% of AI users find new brands through AI-assisted discovery.
64% of consumers have purchased products based on AI recommendations.
68% of users have rejected brands based on AI-provided information.
The Invisible Shortlist concept defines how AI filters brands before a user visits a website.
Success now requires providing clear, attributable evidence for AI systems to cite.

Context in 60 Seconds

The shift toward AI-driven search is fundamentally changing how commerce functions. As consumers delegate research tasks to large language models, the traditional "top of the funnel" is moving from brand-owned websites to third-party AI platforms.

This transition marks a departure from static search results toward synthesized, conversational answers. Companies that fail to manage their digital footprint within these AI ecosystems risk being omitted from consideration before they even have the chance to pitch their value proposition to a potential customer.

Bottom Line

Brands must pivot their marketing strategies to ensure AI models can accurately identify and recommend them, as AI is now a primary gatekeeper in the consumer purchasing process.

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