AI Is Now Influencing Buying Decisions More Than Ever, New Research Reveals

Artificial intelligence is no longer simply helping consumers and businesses research products and services, it's increasingly shaping the decisions they make.

New research from AI visibility consultancy LLM Listed suggests AI-powered platforms such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Claude, Microsoft Copilot and Gemini are becoming trusted advisers throughout the buying journey, with an overwhelming 85% of buyers saying they have changed their mind because of an AI recommendation.

The findings come from the company's AI Buyer Journey Report 2026, based on responses from 770 buyers across the United States and the United Kingdom.

Perhaps even more striking is the level of trust respondents now place in AI-generated information. The study found that 97% trust information provided by AI platforms, while 94% said they would stop considering a company altogether if AI presented negative information about it.

For businesses, that represents a significant shift in how customers discover, evaluate and ultimately choose suppliers.

Business buyers appear to be embracing AI particularly quickly. According to the report, 91% of B2B buyers now use AI during the purchasing process, while 90% research potential vendors using AI before ever making direct contact.

Consumer behaviour is also changing rapidly. Around 84% of consumers now use AI somewhere during their buying journey, with 59% turning to AI as their very first stop when looking for product recommendations.

The research also suggests businesses may be underestimating AI's influence because many buyers never click directly through from AI platforms to company websites. Instead, they often search Google for a company name, type the website address directly into their browser or even ask AI tools for telephone numbers and contact details before making contact.

Among consumer users, Google AI Overviews (39%) and ChatGPT (35%) emerged as the two most popular AI platforms for product research. Business buyers showed more varied preferences, using Google AI Overviews (27%), ChatGPT (23%), Claude (15%) and Microsoft Copilot (11%) in significant numbers.

Ben Harper, Founder of LLM Listed, believes the findings demonstrate a major change in customer behaviour.

He said told That's Business: "The findings suggest that AI is no longer simply a research tool. It is increasingly becoming a decision-making tool."

He added that organisations can no longer afford to ignore how they appear across AI platforms, particularly when buyers are placing so much trust in the information they receive.

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday purchasing decisions, businesses may need to pay as much attention to how they are represented by AI systems as they do to their websites, search engine rankings and online reviews. In an increasingly AI-driven marketplace, visibility across these platforms could become just as important as visibility on traditional search engines.

https://llmlisted.com/

AI is Helping Consumers Discover New Brands – But Trust Still Has to Be Earned

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way consumers discover new products and businesses, but fresh UK research suggests that while AI may be opening doors for lesser-known brands, it is far from replacing traditional research and customer trust.

A new survey of 2,564 UK consumers, commissioned by technology PR agency CloudNine PR, found that over half (52%) of people who use AI chat tools like ChatGPT say the technology helps them discover brands they would never have found otherwise.

With AI assistants increasingly becoming part of everyday shopping and research habits, businesses have a valuable opportunity to reach potential customers outside traditional search engines. Among those surveyed, 48% said they would consider buying from a previously unknown brand if it was recommended by an AI assistant.

However, the findings also show that consumers are still cautious. Just 4% said they would purchase from an unfamiliar brand immediately based solely on an AI recommendation.

Instead, most people continue to carry out their own research before making a buying decision. Nearly half (46%) said they would search for the company using Google or another search engine, while 43% would read independent online reviews. 

Around one-third would visit the company's own website, and more than a quarter would check whether the product was available on Amazon. Others said they would look for coverage in online publications or search social media to gauge public opinion.

The research highlights an important message for businesses: AI visibility alone is not enough.

Consumers also want greater transparency from AI platforms. Six in ten AI users said they would place more trust in recommendations if they could see information drawn from multiple independent sources, including news articles, reviews and influencer content.

CloudNine PR founder Uday Radia believes businesses should see AI as the beginning of the customer journey rather than the end.

He said AI is becoming an important product discovery channel that can introduce consumers to brands they may never have encountered before. However, he warned that businesses still need strong search visibility, positive reviews and credible media coverage if they want those discoveries to convert into sales.

The research also explored attitudes towards advertising within AI-generated responses. More than half of AI users said they would trust recommendations less if advertisements appeared alongside AI answers, while almost two-thirds said they would consider switching to another AI platform if advertising became commonplace.

As AI continues to reshape digital marketing, businesses that combine strong online reputations with high-quality content and genuine customer trust are likely to be best placed to benefit from this evolving landscape.

https://www.cloudninepr.com/chatgpt-ai-brand-discovery-trust/