Marketing

Brands risk losing shoppers who let AI choose their shortlist

The survey found 39 per cent used AI to help choose brands, but only 11 per cent would let it make a purchase.

Australian Centre for AI in Marketing chief executive Louise Cummins smiling in a studio portrait

Australian Centre for AI in Marketing chief executive Louise Cummins. | Image: supplied

By Bushletter Newsroom · 14 October 2026

TLDR

A survey of 1,736 Australians found 39 per cent used generative AI to shortlist a brand, product or service, yet only 11 per cent would let AI finalise a purchase. Separately, 78 per cent had used AI customer service but satisfaction sat at just 39 per cent.

Shortlisting yes, buying no

The AI Brandscape 2026 report, commissioned by the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing (ACAM) and researched by The Navigators across 1,736 Australians, found 39 per cent had used generative AI in brand selection.^[1] Consumer trust stops well short of handing AI the final decision, with only 11 per cent saying they would allow AI to make a purchase on their behalf, even in low-stakes categories.^[1]

Louise Cummins, chief executive and co-founder of ACAM, said the finding rewrites what brands must do to be considered at all. "When customers use AI to research a purchase, brands have to be chosen twice. First by the customer's AI, which you can influence but not control, and then by the customer. If a brand does not make the AI's shortlist, it may never get the chance to make the case," Cummins said.^[3]

Cummins said the data also pointed to clear boundaries consumers place on the technology. "Customers hand AI a task, not a journey, and they set the limits. Successful brands will understand where customers welcome AI, where they want to stay in control and when they need a person," she said.^[3]

Adoption high, satisfaction low

A separate study by Twilio and YouGov found an equally wide gap between usage and approval in customer service. Seventy-eight per cent of Australians had used AI-powered customer service tools, yet only 39 per cent said they were satisfied with the experience.^[2]

Eighty-four per cent of those surveyed wanted a clear and easy path to a human representative when using AI service tools.^[2]

Duncan Egan, vice president of enterprise marketing for Asia Pacific and Japan at Adobe, said the dual-audience dynamic demanded a different approach from marketing teams. "Now that marketing teams have two audiences to win, the focus needs to shift from simply creating campaigns to orchestrating connected experiences," Egan said.^[3] Adobe supported the ACAM research programme that produced the AI Brandscape 2026 report.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

01Thirty-nine per cent of Australians used generative AI to shortlist a brand, product or service.

02Only 11 per cent would allow AI to finalise a purchase, even for low-stakes decisions.

03Seventy-eight per cent had used AI customer service, yet satisfaction reached just 39 per cent.

04Eighty-four per cent of Australians want an easy handover to a human from AI service tools.

05ACAM chief executive Louise Cummins said brands must now be chosen first by the customer's AI, then by the customer.

SOURCES & CITATIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the AI Brandscape 2026 report?

It is a study commissioned by the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing and researched by The Navigators, surveying 1,736 Australians on how generative AI influences their brand selection and purchasing decisions.

Why is satisfaction with AI customer service so low?

The Twilio and YouGov data does not specify a single cause, but 84 per cent of Australians surveyed said they wanted a clear and easy handover to a human representative, suggesting that the absence of that option is a significant driver of dissatisfaction.

What does 'chosen twice' mean for brands?

ACAM chief executive Louise Cummins used the phrase to describe the new reality where a brand must first be selected by a consumer's AI tool during research, and then chosen again by the consumer. Failing to appear on the AI's shortlist can remove the brand from consideration entirely.