How AI tools influence the modern buyer journey

AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are now an integral part of how consumers research products. Shoppers use them to compare options, evaluate trade-offs, and clarify decisions during the buying process. But how much influence do these tools truly have? And where do they fit alongside traditional search engines? To answer that, we surveyed over 1,000 U.S. consumers with experience using AI to understand how they use it for product research. Here’s what we found.