Should AI be used to respond to customer reviews?

For the second year in a row, BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey in a blind test found that a majority of consumers prefer responses to online reviews from businesses created by AI rather than a human. BrightLocal’s annual study of online reviews, in its 15th year, continued to find significant benefits to businesses responding to online customer reviews. Of the just over 1,000 U.S. adults surveyed, 89% were more likely to shop at a business that responds to all reviews, whether positive or negative. About 56% were more hesitant to shop at a business that didn’t respond to reviews.