The Australian Centre for AI in Marketing has released research arguing that brands must now be chosen by both artificial intelligence systems and consumers. The study found 39 per cent of Australians had used generative AI to help choose a brand, product or service.

The report says the first stage of the customer journey is becoming less visible to marketers as more consumers use AI tools to research purchases. As a result, brands may be ruled out before customers make their final choice.

The findings come from The Navigators' AI Brandscape 2026 study of 1,736 Australians. While the research points to growing use of AI in product and service selection, it also suggests consumers remain cautious about letting the technology take full control.

Just 11 per cent of respondents said they would allow AI to make a purchase decision, even in low-stakes categories. That gap between using AI for research and giving it decision-making authority sits at the centre of the report's argument: marketers need to understand which tasks consumers are willing to delegate and where they still want direct control.

Louise Cummins, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of ACAM, said: "When customers use AI to research a purchase, brands have to be chosen twice. First by the customer's AI, which you can influence but not control, and then by the customer. If a brand does not make the AI's shortlist, it may never get the chance to make the case.

"The implication for marketers is significant.

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