Artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to influence purchasing decisions among Australian shoppers, prompting marketers and business leaders to adjust strategies for reaching consumers, according to research from The Navigators.

The AI Brandscape 2026 report finds that generative AI is becoming part of consumer decision-making, including information search, option comparison, and brand selection. The report surveyed 1736 Australian consumers to determine the use of AI in their online shopping behaviour.

According to the report, 43 per cent of Australians use AI tools regularly, while 20 per cent have tried them. The findings indicate that AI is moving from an emerging technology to a tool that can influence consumer behaviour before customers reach a brand’s website, app or store.

“This is a fundamental shift for brands. AI is now actively shaping shortlists and recommendations, with consumers increasingly bypassing traditional funnel mechanics,” said Dean Harris, director at The Navigators.

He said that as AI-enabled purchasing becomes more prevalent, marketers need to prepare for a future in which AI will play a role in purchase decisions. In that context, brand presence within AI systems becomes important at the moment of choice.

“Brands will win by how they show up there, not just through traditional channels,” he said.

AI begins influencing search and shopping behaviour

Harris said consumers are using AI to guide decisions, but they do not rely on it without question. In a market with misinformation and low-quality content, AI systems are becoming more selective about what they surface.

Around 38 per cent of Australians use AI as a complement or replacement for search. Another 41 per cent say they pay attention to AI-generated search summaries. However, only 29 per cent say they trust those summaries, indicating a gap between usage and trust.

AI is also influencing purchasing decisions. The report finds that 39 per cent of Australians use AI to help make buying decisions. About 31 per cent say they have acted on AI suggestions, while 27 per cent are open to buying directly through AI tools.

Among those users, AI most often supports brand comparison (80 per cent), option discovery (72 per cent), understanding and comparing prices (56 per cent), and receiving recommendations (48 per cent).

“Our research shows generative AI is no longer a fringe influence or aid for work or study, but a growing force shaping consumer behaviour,” Harris said.

“This new generation of Australian ‘AI Shoppers’ is already relying on these products to guide decisions across categories, with adoption only set to increase.”

He said this creates a challenge for brands in understanding how trust and visibility are shaped inside AI systems, and how marketing strategies need to adapt in AI-mediated environments.

Impact across retail categories

AI-assisted purchasing is occurring across product categories, including electronics and technology, groceries, health products and services, and travel. The findings suggest AI is beginning to influence day-to-day purchase decisions, particularly as consumers face cost-of-living pressures.

Trust in AI tools is growing first in categories involving frequent purchases, such as groceries and household items, before extending to other purchase types. For brands, absence from AI systems may reduce visibility at the point when consumers make decisions.

Gender differences in AI-assisted purchasing

The research also identifies differences between men and women in the use of AI tools for purchasing decisions. Around 50 per cent of men report using AI, compared with 38 per cent of women. This means men may encounter brand recommendations from AI tools earlier in the purchasing journey.

By comparison, 38 per cent of women report never using AI, indicating a slower entry into AI-assisted decision-making.

However, among those who use AI, women report more use cases on average than men. Harris said that as AI increasingly determines which brands appear and gain trust, men and women may be moving through different “brand maps”.

Implications for the marketers

Douglas Nicol, co-founder of the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing, said the findings from AI Brandscape 2026 mark a turning point for marketers.

He said marketers need to understand how their brands appear in AI-mediated customer journeys and what factors influence brand trust at the moment of choice.

“For some brands, this will mean a few targeted changes and sharper consumer insight. For others, it will require a broader reset of strategy, investment, and how marketing proves its value,” he said.