Consumers trust traditional search engines far more than AI assistants, even as AI search usage grows rapidly. At the same time, marketers report they cannot react fast enough to cultural moments, separate sales results from brand impact, or easily shift key funnel metrics like consideration. These findings, drawn from five recent studies, highlight persistent friction points for marketing teams trying to balance speed, measurement, and consumer trust.
Search engines still command more trust than AI assistants
YouGov research shows 77% of online searchers in Great Britain trust search engines, compared with just 31% who trust AI assistants. Usage patterns reinforce the gap: 85% used a search engine in the past 30 days, while 31% used an AI assistant. Among AI users, 71% say they use these tools more than a year ago, and 46% expect usage to increase over the next 12 months. When people skip search engines, generational splits emerge-Gen Z turns to social media (49%), video platforms (45%), and forums (37%), while millennials are most likely to use AI assistants (42%).
Marketers miss real-time opportunities
More than half of marketers (56%) say they have missed key moments during major events because internal processes moved too slowly. Organisational bottlenecks stopped 57% from reacting to trends and live events in real time. The stakes are high: 54% of consumers say they are more likely to engage with brands that deliver relevant, timely content around cultural moments like the World Cup. Nearly half of consumers (43%) want content tailored to their interests, yet 28% say content should feel thoughtful rather than rushed, according to Optimizely.
Sales and brand impact remain entangled
New WFA and Ebiquity data reveals 79% of marketers cannot separate sales from brand impact. Only 4% of marketing leaders are highly confident they can distinguish near-immediate sales response from long-term brand effects. Two in three brand owners lag in measurement maturity, and automation is compressing decision cycles faster than measurement can keep up-54% of leaders say insights arrive too late to act on. While 80% of advertisers already run marketing mix modelling and brand lift studies, just 15% say effectiveness outputs are the primary driver of budget decisions. AI and automation are a top near-term priority for 53% of leaders, yet 67% rate their own automation maturity at the lowest levels. For marketing managers, closing that gap often means building deeper measurement skills through structured programmes like the AI Learning Path for Marketing Managers.
AI shopping tools gain traction but trust lags
Dentsu's Consumer Navigator report found over a third of Brits use AI shopping tools, a figure that rises to more than half among millennials and Gen Z. Nearly 40% of consumers already use AI to find the best product, compare brands, or locate cheaper alternatives. Still, a trust gap persists: almost two-thirds remain uncomfortable letting AI buy products autonomously. Outside of AI search, two-thirds of consumers discover products more easily through social media, though retailer websites score higher on personalisation, product information, convenience, and pricing. As AI reshapes product discovery, practical knowledge in AI for Marketing becomes increasingly relevant for teams adapting to these shifts.
Consideration proves the hardest metric to move
One Device research identifies consideration as the most difficult marketing funnel metric to influence across all media channels. Digital display delivered the strongest awareness uplift at 3.8 percentage points but showed no measurable movement in intent. Digital video recorded the strongest consideration uplift at just 0.9 percentage points. Out-of-home was the only channel to deliver significant impact across the full funnel, with a 1.7 percentage point uplift in intent, 0.7 points in consideration, and strong awareness gains.
Why this matters for marketers
The data underscores a practical reality: consumer trust in AI remains conditional, and marketing teams are not yet equipped to measure effectiveness or react at the speed culture demands. The persistent inability to separate sales activation from brand building-and the difficulty of moving consideration-suggest that investment in measurement capabilities and real-time response infrastructure is no longer optional. Marketers who close these gaps will be better positioned to act on live moments and prove the full value of their work.
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