For two decades, shoppers relied on search engines to locate goods, but now many turn to LLMs like ChatGPT for instant answers, recommendations and even purchases. Brandtech CEO David Jones notes that brands must adapt, as users increasingly ask chatbots for buying guidance. This shift cuts out the link‑list step and places AI at the decision point and easily today.

Half of Britons use AI for financial planning, with 41% willing to seek chatbot advice, says Jessica Tamsedge of Dentsu Creative UK&I. Meanwhile, 40% already employ brand‑specific AI agents for shopping. Marketers face a dual challenge: shape the data feeding LLMs and manage reputational risk, as AI agents demand corroborated evidence for claims in today and scrutiny daily by customers.

Industry voices warn that as AI tools become the first touchpoint, traditional search optimisation will give way to generative engine optimisation for LLMs. Brands that ignore this shift risk being overlooked, while those that cultivate rich, debated content—think Reddit discussions and thought‑leadership pieces—will dominate AI answers. Current success hinges on visibility across both human and machine‑driven searches for today and.