The AI Effect: Why Consumer Behaviour Has Changed Forever
Consumer habits are evolving at a faster pace than ever, thanks largely to AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity AI and Google's Gemini. These technologies don’t just change how people find information — they shape what decisions they make, how quickly they make them, and what brands they trust.
According to Gartner, over 70% of digital consumers now use AI-powered discovery tools before making purchase decisions — skipping traditional search engine results in favour of summarised, AI-curated insights.
That shift has profound implications: consumers expect ultra-personalised interactions, trust recommendations from AI systems, and have lower patience for irrelevant messaging. Marketers must not only understand these new behaviours — they must design every experience around them.
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Case Study 1: Mars Inc. Uses AI to Understand Snack Trends
Mars Inc. is using AI-driven social listening and behavioural analysis tools to adapt its marketing campaigns on the fly. Using insights generated from AI platforms, the company can detect flavour trends, packaging preferences and emerging health-conscious behaviours across different regions.
In Q1 2025, Mars reported a 13% increase in campaign effectiveness for its “Plant Power” snack range after adapting messaging based on AI-detected consumer sentiment — a clear sign that real-time, AI-powered audience understanding translates to measurable growth.
Case Study 2: H&M's Hyper-Personalised Retail Experience
Fashion brand H&M launched its "StyleMe" feature — a chatbot powered by generative AI that offers style suggestions based on browsing history, location, weather, and even social events in a customer’s calendar.
H&M reported a 21% uplift in add-to-basket conversions and a 30% increase in return customers in Q1 2025 after rolling out the feature in its mobile app. This shows how AI is not only changing consumer preferences — it’s enhancing loyalty through personalised interactions.
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Three Core AI-Driven Shifts in Consumer Behaviour
- From Search to Summary:
Consumers are increasingly bypassing traditional search and relying on AI summaries (e.g., ChatGPT or Google Gemini’s Overviews) to make decisions. This compresses the buyer journey and reduces brand exposure unless businesses optimise for GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation). - From Static to Adaptive Journeys:
Today’s customer journey isn’t linear — it adapts based on device, location, mood and behaviour. AI tools allow brands to personalise offers in real-time, making every touchpoint count. - From Ads to Conversations:
Consumers are favouring conversational experiences over static ads. Brands integrating AI agents into their websites and support flows are experiencing longer engagement and higher conversion, as seen with brands like Klarna and Sephora.
How Marketers Must Respond in 2025
To adapt, marketers must shift from reactive to proactive strategy building — anticipating consumer needs using predictive models and intent data rather than waiting for clicks to happen.
Key Strategic Moves:
- Implement AI-powered analytics to identify behavioural shifts early.
- Map content to stages of the AI-accelerated buyer journey.
- Optimise site structure, FAQs, and product pages for discoverability in AI-generated summaries.
- Create semantic-rich content with strong brand entity markup (GEO optimisation).
- Integrate conversational interfaces like custom GPTs or voice chatbots to meet consumers where they are.
Anjin Digital offers solutions precisely for this — optimising digital content not just for SEO, but for visibility within the AI layer of search and discovery.
Looking Ahead: Human-Centric AI Strategy Is the Future
While AI shapes the landscape, empathy, trust and relevance remain the bedrock of great marketing. Brands that succeed in 2025 are those who combine automation and intelligence with storytelling and authenticity — using AI to deliver human-like resonance at scale.
At Anjin Digital, we help marketing teams retool for this AI-powered consumer era — deploying insight-driven strategies that earn visibility across Google, Gemini, ChatGPT and beyond.
Sources:
- Gartner – 2025 Consumer Insights: AI’s Impact on Digital Habits: https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-ai-consumer-report
- Mars Inc. via Business Insider – Mars Doubles Down on AI for Consumer Insight: https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-brands-using-ai-boost-marketing-delta-unilever-mars-2025-3
- H&M – Q1 2025 Earnings Report and AI Integration Overview: https://hmgroup.com/news/hm-q1-2025-ai-styleme-impact/
- Smart Insights – AI Marketing Trends in 2025: https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/ai-marketing-trends-2025/
