From what wool coat to buy ahead of the winter season, to what home appliance is a must-have, consumers have increasingly become reliant on influencers on their social media feeds recommending them their latest purchases. That is, until AI entered the room.
According to a recent survey by global research firm Gartner, 35% of consumers looking for shopping recommendations are relying less on influencers than before, as AI-generated content becomes more widespread across platforms. The survey was conducted between May and June 2026, with 1,006 consumers surveyed.
The findings showed that declining reliance on influencers is not due to consumers turning to AI for advice, but rather to AI slop altering trust. For instance, the survey also revealed that 65% of consumers believe brands’ marketing materials have too much AI content, with 57% saying that has led to distrusting the brand.
“Consumers are not rejecting AI outright. However, they are becoming more selective about the content they trust, and the sources they rely on for information and recommendations as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent online,” Sr Principal Analyst at Gartner Emily Weiss said in a press statement.
But as consumers become more wary of content on their feeds, they are instead turning to more traditional outlets for recommendations: real people. In fact, 43% of respondents said they are now relying more on human expertise for shopping information as a result of AI slop.
“Consumers are telling us that human expertise and authentic perspectives still play an important role in building trust,” Weiss says.
The findings, however, highlight a lesson for marketers on how to incorporate AI into their workflow in order to retain the trust of their consumers.
“Marketers should focus on using AI to improve relevance, creativity and customer experiences rather than simply increasing content output,” Weiss said. “They must also create clear guidelines and policies around AI use for any brand-influencer partnerships.”
