More than half of UK consumers who use AI assistants say the tools help them discover new brands. But only 4% would buy from an AI-recommended brand without checking elsewhere, according to a separate finding from the same survey.
The research, commissioned by CloudNine PR, surveyed 2,564 UK consumers, including 1,989 who said they use AI chat tools such as ChatGPT.
Among those AI users, 52% said the technology makes it easier to find brands they would never have found otherwise. At the same time, 79% said they would still check other sources before trusting a recommendation from an AI assistant.
The figures suggest a gap between discovery and purchase. While 48% said they would consider buying from a brand suggested by AI even if they had not heard of it before, most still said they would verify the suggestion through more established sources.
Search engines were the most common next step, with 46% saying they would look for the brand on Google or another search engine if an AI tool recommended one they did not know.
Online reviews followed closely, with 43% saying they would check them before deciding whether to trust the recommendation. Another 32% said they would visit the brand's website, while 27% said they would search for the brand on Amazon.
Smaller shares said they would compare the recommended brand with others, check coverage in online publications or look for social media mentions. Just 19% said they would compare it with competing brands, 10% would check online publications and 9% would look for social media references.
The survey also found that trust rises when AI-generated answers are supported by several sources. Six in 10 AI users said they are more likely to trust recommendations backed by multiple sources, including articles, reviews and influencer content.
The finding adds to a broader debate over how AI assistants are changing online discovery while still relying on trust signals established long before generative AI entered mainstream consumer use. Search results, review platforms, marketplace listings and media coverage continue to shape how consumers judge unfamiliar brands.
Uday Radia commented on the findings.
"AI tools like ChatGPT are rapidly becoming a product discovery channel and they're helping lesser-known brands get noticed - companies that people might never have come across otherwise. Importantly, however, while AI helps you get discovered it's not enough to drive conversions on its own. If a consumer doesn't like what they see about you in Google, independent review sites and earned media, they're unlikely to become customers," said Uday Radia, Owner, CloudNine PR.
Advertising concerns
The survey also examined how users might respond if advertising becomes more common in AI-generated answers. The question has become more relevant as major AI and search companies test ways to monetise conversational interfaces.
More than half of AI users, or 54%, said they would trust AI recommendations less if companies' adverts appeared in AI answers. A larger share, 63%, said they would switch to another AI tool if ads started appearing.
Those responses suggest advertising in AI interfaces could carry reputational risks for providers as they try to build new revenue streams. For brands, the data also indicates that visibility through AI alone may not be enough if users become more sceptical once paid placements are introduced.
The issue is already being tested across the market. OpenAI has expanded its ChatGPT advertising pilot to the UK, while Google has widened ad formats in AI-led search experiences. Anthropic has taken a different position, saying it opposes advertising because it could create incentives that conflict with keeping its Claude assistant helpful.
OpenAI has previously said its ad pilot showed "no impact on consumer trust metrics", according to comments reported by Reuters. Its partnership with adtech company LiveRamp is designed to help advertisers measure whether ChatGPT adverts lead to purchases.
For brands and retailers, the results underline that AI may now sit near the top of the funnel rather than at the point of conversion. Consumers appear willing to use chatbots to surface unknown products, but they still want proof from search, reviews, websites, marketplaces and media coverage before they spend money.
CloudNine PR said the data was collected by market research company TLF Research from UK consumers, with questions focused on product discovery through AI tools and attitudes towards ads appearing in AI responses.