A study from IAB found 65% of Gen Z and millennials prefer when AI chatbots cite creator content within recommendations.
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Artificial intelligence has cemented its place in the consumer shopping journey, with 80% of consumers reporting that they are somewhat or very comfortable relying on the technology to recommend products or services, per data from the Interactive Advertising Bureau. Shoppers have shown they have a preference for what sources AI cites, with 56% saying they favor recommendations that pull from creator or influencer reviews.
“Consumers are, more than ever, using AI for shopping and shopping recommendations. And what we found in this report is that consumers are looking for authenticity and trust and that is coming from creators,” said Jack Koch, senior vice president, research and insights at IAB.
IAB’s “The Creator Signal: How AI Systems Interpret Influence in Commerce” includes 2,200 survey respondents ages 16 and older who have used AI tools for shopping-related purposes in the last three months. It was conducteday 2026. Markets surveyed include the U.S., U.K., Australia , Mexico and India
The creator divide
Though the preference for creator content is evident, the sentiment is not shared equally across generations. For example, 65% of Gen Z and millennial respondents said they prefer when AI recommendations include creator and influencer sources, while 66% of boomers feel the opposite. Gen Xers are split, with 53% in favor of creator citations.
While consumers prefer chatbots to cite creators and influencers within its results, it is not the onlyns, at least half of those surveyed believe chatbots should pull from consumer ratings and reviews. Consumer ratings and reviews are the most preferredwould increase their likelihood to purchase
While younger consumers prefer when AI cites creator content, it doesn’t necessarily drive purchase. Just 29% of the Gen Zers and millennials surveyed said creators or influencer sources increased their likelihood of buying the product. That number fell to 12% when looking at boomers.
“I think the real story is, from a generational standpoint, once you get past subject matter experts, retailer or marketplace information, brand advertiser information, especially for younger generations, is really at the same place as creator influencer reviews,” said Koch.
Subject-matter experts, retail or marketplace information and brand or advertiser content consistently rank above creator or influencer reviews for AI source preference across generations. When looking at the sources preferred across all generations to increase consumers’ likelihood to purchase, subject-matter experts, retail or marketplace information and brand or advertiser content largely ranks above creator influencer reviews across all generations as well, however, for Gen Z respondents, creator or influencer reviews beat out retail or marketplace information by a single point.
The creator voice
While consumers may find other sources more important during their AI shopping journey, it doesn’t mean brands should ignore creators completely. Consumers still find them valuable, with just 11% of respondents overall saying they do not find creator or influencer content helpful when included in AI recommendations, per the report. Additionally, 65% of respondents said credible creator reviews increase their confidence in AI recommendations.
Finding the best price or value was seen as the top area where respondents found influencers helpful, at a rate of 38%. Discovering new brands (32%), comparing products (31%) and summarizing product information (31%) were all identified as top areas where creator input was found to be helpful.
Respondents tend to favor influencer input in the early stages of the shopping journey, specifically around product discovery or initial research. Respondents didn’t find influencer input at the end stages of the purchasing journey to be as helpful, with 15% saying they found creators helpful when it came to completing or assisting with purchases and 21% with final purchase decisions.
Additionally, not all types of influencers are seen as equally valuable. Over half of respondents said AI should prioritize everyday consumers sharing real experiences and 43% said it should focus on professional product reviewers. Lifestyle creators (22%), journalists (17%) and celebrities or public figures (13%) ranked at the bottom.
Nearly half of respondents said a proven track record of credibility made an influencer or creator trustworthy enough for AI to rely on their content and 40% cited consistency over time. Subject matter expertise (36%), independence from brands (35%) and sponsorship transparency (34%) were also seen as indicators of trustworthiness. A large audience size was cited by 21% of respondents, per the report.
“You can build your creative strategy around reach, but you also have to build around real demonstrated expertise, real product experience and that credibility,” said Koch. “Those were all elements that we saw really high in trust in creators and how they work with consumers.”
