While half of Australians have used AI to research a purchase, just 3 per cent say that they would buy on an AI recommendation alone, according to new research.
However, 12 per cent of 18 to 30-year-olds are already willing to let AI make decisions entirely on their behalf, according to Ideally.
When an AI assistant recommends a brand they have never heard of, 52 per cent of Australians say they would search for it on Google before making a decision, while a further 21 per cent would check review sites.
When asked which source they would trust most for a recommendation on a major purchase, just 6 per cent selected an AI assistant, compared with Google search results at 26 per cent, friends and family at 25 per cent and online reviews at 20 per cent.
“AI is starting to decide which brands make the shortlist, but consumers still want proof before they buy. That changes the purchase journey because discovery is becoming more fragmented, and brands need to earn trust across every surface a consumer checks next,” said James Donald, CEO of Ideally.
“For brands, that means AI visibility cannot sit in isolation. You need to understand how you show up across AI platforms, search, reviews, earned media and other credible third-party sources because consumers are moving between all of them before making a decision.”
The shift comes as AI becomes an increasingly common part of how Australians research purchases. More than a quarter of Australians, 27 per cent, say they regularly use AI to research products or services, while a further 23 per cent have done so once or twice.
When asked what they used the last time they researched a product or service before buying, 31 per cent selected ChatGPT. That puts it behind Google search at 66 per cent, but ahead of social media at 24 per cent and review sites at 23 per cent.
Among 25 to 34-year-olds, ChatGPT usage rises to 54 per cent, while 48 per cent of under-25s used the platform.
The behaviour is also accelerating. Some 44 per cent of Australians say they are using AI platforms to research products or services more often than they were 12 months ago, including 16 per cent who are doing so much more often.
“The brands approaching AI visibility most effectively are starting with the customer,” said Donald.
“They are working out what people actually want to know, where behaviours are changing and where there are gaps in the information available, then using original research to create credible content and earned media around those areas.”
