Artificial intelligence is already influencing how consumers discover products and make decisions. But a new global study from Klaviyo shows something marketers should pay more attention to: Usage is increasing rapidly, but trust is not.
Klaviyo AI Persona Research, based on a survey of nearly 8,000 consumers, found that 60% now use AI tools at least weekly. At the same time, only 13% say they fully trust AI.
It is in this gap that the real story of marketing lies.
Consumers are clearly incorporating AI into how they research and evaluate products. But they are doing so cautiously, treating AI as an input rather than an authority.
Artificial intelligence is influencing purchases faster than trust grows
Artificial intelligence is already influencing real-world purchasing behavior.
The study found that 41% of consumers have purchased a product recommended by AI in the last six months. Another 27% say AI introduced them to a product that they then researched further before purchasing.
In other words, AI already functions as a discovery layer.
More than one in five consumers now start with AI tools when they want to learn something new, solve a problem or evaluate a purchase. For marketers, this means that AI increasingly serves as the first point of contact in the customer journey.
However, trust in the technology is growing much slower than adoption. Consumers are using AI to narrow down choices and gather ideas, but many still want to verify the results before acting on them.
Four AI characters reveal how consumers balance usage and trust
Klaviyo research groups consumers into four personalities based on two factors: how often they use AI and how much they trust it.
AI enthusiasts combine high usage with relatively high trust. This group represents approximately 26% of consumers globally and is already incorporating AI into everyday decision-making processes.
Among enthusiasts, 89% say they have used AI when shopping in the last six months. Even more significantly, 43% report purchasing more products they were previously unaware of because the AI recommended them.
AI evaluators also use AI frequently, but approach it with more caution. They are willing to rely on AI for searches and comparisons, but tend to validate recommendations before taking action.
Together, enthusiasts and evaluators represent almost 70% of consumers.
The remaining characters reflect more skepticism.
AI skeptics understand and occasionally use AI, but remain wary of how it appears in marketing and brand interactions. AI Holdouts, who represent approximately 21% of consumers, rarely use AI for purchases and tend to prefer human guidance when making decisions.
The bottom line is that the divide is not simply between users and non-users of AI. It’s a question between consumers who trust AI, consumers who use it cautiously, and consumers who remain skeptical.
Regular AI users are also the most quick to criticize brands
One of the study’s most revealing findings is that the people who feel most comfortable using AI are also the most critical of it.
Among AI enthusiasts, 40% say they see low-quality or generic AI-generated marketing content multiple times a week.
This suggests that heavy users of AI are becoming adept at recognizing when brands are relying too heavily on automation. As consumers spend more time interacting with AI tools, they also become better judges of what good results are.
For marketers experimenting with generative AI in content, customer service, or personalization, this dynamic raises the stakes. Poor execution can be noticed more quickly by the very audiences who are most likely to engage with AI-powered experiences.
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Consumers interact with AI more as if they were an interlocutor
The research also highlights how artificial intelligence is changing search behavior.
Traditional search queries were generally short and keyword-based. AI suggestions are becoming increasingly longer and more contextual.
78% of consumers say they include emotional or personal context in their suggestions at least some of the time. 30% now use eight or more words when interacting with AI systems.
The trust gap will determine the next phase of AI marketing
The results highlight a simple but important reality.
The use of artificial intelligence is becoming mainstream, but trust is developing much more slowly.
Consumers feel comfortable using AI to explore ideas, compare products, and discover new options. Confidence in the answers they receive depends on the quality and usefulness of the experience.
For marketers, this means showing up in AI-powered discovery environments is only part of the challenge.
The most difficult task is gaining the trust of consumers who are still deciding how much to believe in artificial intelligence.
The full report can be downloaded here. (Registration required)
