AI and Social Media Redefine Consumer Discovery Paths, Report Finds…

Event summary

66% of consumers now use AI tools for product research, with 11% starting their research directly with AI.
Reddit is trusted by 85% of users for product recommendations, with 26% explicitly adding 'Reddit' to searches.
AI referrals to major US retailers increased 190 times from June 2023 to June 2026.
Social media is the top product discovery channel, surpassing retail websites, search engines, and email.

The big picture

The report highlights a significant shift in consumer behavior, moving away from traditional search towards a more fragmented discovery path involving AI, social media, and community platforms. This trend underscores the need for brands to adopt integrated visibility strategies across multiple channels. The rapid growth of AI referrals and the prominence of social media as a discovery tool indicate a fundamental change in how consumers research and validate products.

What we're watching

AI Integration: How brands will adapt their discovery strategies to integrate AI, social media, and community platforms.
Consumer Trust: Whether the reliance on user-generated content and peer recommendations will continue to grow.
Platform Dynamics: The pace at which social media platforms will evolve to capture more of the product discovery journey.