New research from Optimizely shows that forty two percent of consumers now trust AI generated summaries without clicking through to a website, signaling a major change in how people discover information and evaluate brands online. The findings come from a global survey of more than thirteen hundred consumers, a companion survey of one thousand marketing leaders, and platform data from past Black Friday and Cyber Monday periods. Together, the results illustrate a fast moving shift toward what Optimizely calls the “click less” discovery era, where AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Gemini increasingly serve as the starting point for shopping journeys.
The report, titled AI and The Click less Customer, reveals that more than half of consumers, fifty two percent, regularly use AI tools to research products. This shift indicates that large language model platforms are becoming the new entry point for digital experiences, reducing the number of traditional website visits and giving brands far less control over how they are first presented to potential customers. Optimizely warns that this new dynamic compresses the margin for error; when a consumer chooses to learn more, their expectations for accuracy, clarity, and speed are immediate. “AI isn’t just changing how people shop, it’s rewriting the rules of how brands are found,” said Tara Corey, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Optimizely. “The moment a shopper decides to learn more, they expect instant clarity, trust, and speed. If you’re not visible or ready in that moment, someone else is.”
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The survey data shows that AI’s influence is growing across age groups, though younger shoppers are adopting it fastest. Sixty six percent of consumers still begin their journey on search engines, but fourteen percent now start with AI platforms. Those aged eighteen to forty four are three to four times more likely to use AI daily for product research compared with those fifty five and older, illustrating how generational behavior is driving the shift. Trust signals are also evolving. Nearly one third of respondents say they trust an AI generated summary more if it comes from a brand they recognize, while another third prefer a blend of brand context and product detail. Twenty two percent rely solely on the clarity and accuracy of the information provided, regardless of source.
Optimizely’s historical Black Friday performance data underscores why reliability matters when AI directs users to a site. During the twenty twenty four holiday weekend, customers using Optimizely saw a sixty five percent increase in website traffic, maintained ninety nine point nine eight percent uptime, and delivered response times thirteen point seven milliseconds faster than usual under heavy loads. They launched more than fifteen hundred personalized campaigns and ran seven thousand four hundred twenty five A and B tests, with nearly six percent generating significant positive improvements. These benchmarks highlight the intense pressure brands face once shoppers arrive, especially as AI increasingly influences when those visits happen.
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Despite the urgency, readiness among marketers still lags behind consumer behavior. Only ten percent actively use AI for personalization, forty four percent rely on experimentation to drive revenue, and forty five percent have a generative engine optimization strategy in place. Just twenty seven percent feel fully prepared for click less journeys, underscoring a widening gap between what consumers expect and what brands are equipped to deliver.
As Black Friday approaches, Optimizely suggests that generative engine optimization may be the next major battleground. Rather than focusing solely on traditional rankings, GEO ensures brands appear accurately and favorably inside AI generated responses. Corey noted that this season marks a turning point: “Black Friday has always been a test of performance. Now it’s a test of discoverability. The brands that understand how to show up in AI platforms, not just search engines, will be the ones consumers engage with first.”
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