IAB’s global research highlights a growing role for creators in AI-powered shopping discovery. The study found that consumers increasingly want AI recommendations to include credible human perspectives, particularly from creators they trust.

Creator Perspectives Strengthen AI Shopping Recommendations

The study surveyed 2,200 consumers across the U.S., U.K., Australia, Mexico, and India who had used AI for shopping research in the previous three months.

Key findings include:

• 56% prefer AI-generated shopping recommendations that incorporate creator or influencer perspectives.

• 65% say they have more confidence in AI recommendations when they include credible creator reviews.

• 72% of consumers surveyed use general-purpose AI assistants for shopping-related decisions.

This suggests creators could become an important source of trust as AI increasingly influences product discovery and purchase decisions.

Younger Consumers Are Driving the Shift

The preference for creator-informed AI recommendations is particularly strong among younger consumers.

• 65% of Gen Z and Millennials prefer AI recommendations that include creator perspectives.

• The figure falls to 53% among Gen X and 34% among Boomers.

• Among Gen Z, creator reviews incorporated into AI recommendations have nearly the same influence as brand or advertiser information, at 27% versus 29%.

• Half of Gen Z and Millennials have discovered creators through AI.

• Nearly three-quarters of these younger consumers say creator-backed recommendations increase their confidence in AI shopping advice.

Authenticity and Expertise Matter More Than Popularity

The research indicates that consumers are not simply looking for the most popular creators to appear in AI recommendations. Authenticity and subject-matter expertise are key factors influencing whether consumers trust a creator's perspective.

For brands and AI platforms, this points toward a model where creator content can provide contextual experience and credibility alongside traditional product and brand information.

Creators Become Part of the AI Shopping Journey

As consumers increasingly use AI assistants to research and compare products, creator content could become part of the underlying information layer that shapes those recommendations.

The findings point to an emerging convergence between creator marketing, AI-powered discovery, and commerce: creators provide trusted perspectives, while AI can organize and surface those perspectives at the moment consumers are making purchasing decisions.