Small businesses competing against established brands may have a new opportunity to win customers through artificial intelligence. A new Adobe survey found that 59% of consumers who use AI for shopping research would consider abandoning their preferred brand for an unfamiliar competitor if an AI assistant recommended it.

The findings, published October 5 by Adobe for Business, highlight how AI-powered search tools are influencing purchasing decisions, brand loyalty, and product discovery. For small businesses with limited marketing budgets, the shift could create opportunities to reach customers who might otherwise overlook their products.

Adobe surveyed 1,011 U.S. consumers who use large language models, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity, to research and compare products. The research examined how AI recommendations influence shopping behavior and consumer trust.

Among the survey’s notable findings:

• 59% of respondents would try an unfamiliar brand over their preferred choice if AI recommended it.
• 62% reported purchasing from brands they otherwise would not have considered because of AI recommendations.
• 83% said they continue purchasing from brands they first discovered through AI.
• 59% lose trust in a brand when AI provides incorrect information about it.
• 49% have abandoned a purchase after finding discrepancies between AI-generated information and a brand’s website.

AI Recommendations Could Help Smaller Brands Compete

Traditional search results often favor businesses with established online visibility, significant marketing resources, and strong brand recognition. AI-powered shopping assistants introduce another way for consumers to discover products by generating recommendations based on their questions and preferences.

According to Adobe, 64% of Gen Z respondents would consider an unfamiliar competitor when AI recommends it, compared with 59% of respondents overall.

The willingness to consider alternatives extends across multiple product categories. Approximately 69% of respondents expressed openness to AI-recommended alternatives in automotive parts, beauty and personal care, and groceries or food delivery. Similar results appeared in apparel and accessories (67%), home goods and furniture (64%), and electronics (63%).

These findings suggest that smaller retailers and emerging brands may gain exposure through AI recommendations even without the recognition enjoyed by larger competitors.

However, being recommended does not automatically guarantee a lasting customer relationship.

Among consumers who continued purchasing from AI-discovered brands, 61% cited better value for money, while 60% identified superior product quality.

For small businesses, competitive pricing, product quality, and accurate descriptions remain important even when AI helps introduce customers to their products.

Incorrect AI Information Creates Risks for Businesses

The research also identified potential problems when AI assistants display outdated or inaccurate information.

Adobe found that 59% of respondents lose trust in a brand when AI presents incorrect information about it. Nearly half reported abandoning purchases after discovering differences between information provided by AI and details published on a company’s website.

Interestingly, only 13% directly blamed brands for incorrect AI-generated information, while 38% blamed the AI platform. Another 35% considered the problem a shared responsibility across the broader AI ecosystem.

Nevertheless, businesses can lose sales when shoppers encounter conflicting prices, specifications, or product descriptions.

Adobe recommends maintaining consistent product information across websites and other public-facing channels. The company also emphasizes structured data, including schema markup, which helps search systems interpret product details.

For a small retailer, these practices could involve regularly updating prices, checking product availability, maintaining accurate specifications, and ensuring information on third-party listings matches the company’s website.

Businesses may also benefit from testing how AI assistants describe their products and correcting outdated information at its source when possible. However, businesses cannot directly control every response generated by an AI platform.

AI Search Can Still Generate Website Traffic

Although AI tools increasingly answer shopping questions without requiring users to visit websites, Adobe’s findings suggest consumers continue clicking through when evaluating purchases.

When AI provides a direct website link, 64% of respondents said they would click it rather than search independently.

Side-by-side brand comparisons prompted website visits among 47% of respondents, while product feature summaries influenced 42%. Discounts and promotions encouraged 41% to click through.

These findings indicate that businesses could benefit from publishing detailed product comparisons, clear specifications, and answers to common customer questions.

Adobe also found that 95% of respondents use AI at least occasionally when researching purchases under $500, suggesting that AI-assisted shopping extends well beyond expensive products.

Businesses can use ecommerce analytics to evaluate whether visitors referred by AI tools ultimately make purchases.

Businesses May Need to Rethink Search Visibility

Adobe describes AI search optimization as preparing online content and product information so AI systems can discover and accurately represent a brand.

The company has developed tools addressing this issue, including Adobe Brand Visibility, which uses Semrush-powered capabilities to monitor how brands appear across AI platforms.

Smaller businesses may not need specialized enterprise software to begin evaluating their visibility. Keeping product information current, publishing useful comparisons, and monitoring AI-generated descriptions offer practical starting points.

The survey has limitations. Adobe commissioned the research, and its results rely on self-reported experiences rather than independently verified purchasing behavior. Participants were already AI users, so the findings should not be interpreted as representing all U.S. shoppers.

Still, the results point toward a changing competitive environment in which customers may discover unfamiliar businesses through AI recommendations. For small business owners, maintaining accurate online information and delivering strong value could become increasingly important as conversational search influences purchasing decisions.

This article, “Adobe Survey Finds 59% of Shoppers Would Switch Brands for AI Picks” was first published on Small Business Trends