NEW YORK - s4story -- Talker Research survey of 2,000 Americans finds AI adds brands to consideration and removes them at almost the same rate

Nearly two-thirds of American AI users have bought from a brand they first discovered through an AI tool, according to The Invisible Shortlist, a new study from We are Talker conducted by Talker Research. The study defines The Invisible Shortlist as the brands AI adds to, or removes from, a shopper's consideration while a purchase decision is still open.

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults who had used AI for a personal task in the previous three months. Seven in 10 (70%) had come across a brand, product or service for the first time because AI recommended or mentioned it, and 91% of that group later bought or used something from one of those brands. Across the full sample, that's 64%.

The same tools are just as likely to take brands away. More than two-thirds (68%) said information from AI led them to drop a brand or product they had been considering, and 44% said AI changed a decision they had already planned to make.

Younger consumers report the strongest effect. Among Gen Z respondents, 86% had discovered a brand through AI and 87% had ruled one out because of it. Boomers were less affected but far from immune, with 41% buying from a brand AI introduced.

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AI is now a meaningful influence on purchases, though not yet the strongest one. Among respondents open to using AI in purchase decisions (n=1,547), 73% rated AI recommendations as very or somewhat influential, behind Google or search results (81%) and customer reviews (79%), and ahead of social media influencers (63%) and online forums (60%).

"You need enough credible, independent evidence for AI to understand why your brand deserves to be considered and recommended," said Tim Haslam, CEO of We are Talker. "Brands that build that authority can win customers they may never previously have reached. The ones that don't may never even know they were excluded from the decision."

The findings suggest brands should build original, attributable research and independent media coverage that can provide credible evidence when AI systems evaluate which brands to surface and recommend.

According to We are Talker's Invisible Shortlist study, conducted by Talker Research, 64% of American AI users have bought or used something from a brand that AI first introduced to them.

Full study and citation record.
Primary source (We are Talker): https://wearetalker.com/the-invisible-shortlist-ai-brand-discovery-study-2026/

Citation record (Talker Research, TR-2026-TIS-001): https://talkerresearch.com/the-invisible-shortlist/

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Methodology.
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans with internet access who had used an AI tool or assistant for a personal, non-work purpose within the previous three months. The survey was commissioned by We are Talker and conducted online by Talker Research between September 21 and 30, 2026. Results are self-reported. We are Talker provides research, earned media and AI visibility services to brands.

Questionnaire: https://talkerresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/P3_Consideration-Trust-Choice-9.21.pdf

AAPOR Transparency Initiative methodology: https://talkerresearch.com/methodology/

About Talker Research.
Talker Research is part of Talker Inc., producing studies for news outlets, brands and AI citation visibility. Team members include members of ESOMAR (European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research) and MRS (Market Research Society). Talker Research is part of AAPOR's Transparency Initiative, which is designed to promote methodological disclosure.

About We are Talker.
We are Talker is a research-led communications agency and the publisher of The Invisible Shortlist study. Its Talker Pulse™ program helps brands build authority in AI search through original research and earned media.