The data: AI assistants are increasingly shaping how consumers interact with brands.

• Over half (56%) are comfortable with having AI tools filter brand communications, according to a report by the Gale Agency.
• Nearly 1 in 3 have told ChatGPT, Gemini, or another AI assistant to favor certain brands in their results—which could limit discovery of new companies or products through AI platforms.
• Roughly 1 in 4 consumers (22%) say they will regularly set AI brand preferences within the next year, with an additional 21% planning to follow suit within a few years.

Why it matters: The rapid rise of ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI assistants is complicating the relationship between brands and consumers. While these platforms are not yet fully capable as shopping assistants, more users are growing comfortable letting them influence the entire shopping journey—from discovery to purchase. Companies are bracing themselves for the fallout: 44% of retail executives expect genAI to weaken brand loyalty this year, while 50% foresee a larger impact in 2027 or beyond, according to Deloitte’s 2026 Retail Industry Global Outlook.

Implications for retailers: While increasing AI visibility has become a priority for brands as more search shifts to AI platforms, those tactics can only go so far if shoppers actively instruct assistants to prioritize certain brands over others. That puts even more pressure on brands and retailers to build loyalty and maximize discoverability on other channels, such as social media, to ensure they stay within consumers’ consideration set.

Beef up loyalty programs. Robust loyalty rewards can enable brands and retailers to maintain direct relationships with shoppers and increase purchase frequency and engagement. For the time being, they can help mitigate the encroachment of AI assistants into the shopping process, given that most currently lack the ability to link loyalty programs to purchases.

Improve the customer experience. The clunky experience of shopping via an AI assistant creates an opportunity for retailers to deliver a superior experience using their unique combination of customer data, real-time product information, and shopper trust.

Go further: Read our report on The State of AI Shopping Assistants.