Shoppers Embrace AI to Choose Products but Reject Fake Images in Ads

What happened

A Buzzmonitor survey analyzed 68,000 social media posts that mentioned artificial intelligence and virtual assistants alongside terms such as purchase, rating, recommendation, review and satisfaction. The posts were collected between October 1 and 7.

The results reveal an ambivalent relationship: consumers use AI to compare and choose products, but react poorly when the technology shows up in ads with images that don't match reality. According to the study, this rejection appears in sectors such as fashion, food delivery and marketplaces.

What this means for your business

The message is clear: AI is welcome when it helps the customer, and frowned upon when it seems to deceive them. For small businesses, a few practices help you stay on the right side:

• Show the real product. In fashion and food, real photos still inspire more trust than flawless AI-generated images.
• Use AI behind the scenes. It can help write captions, organize campaign ideas or answer questions, without replacing the image of what you sell.
• Be transparent. If you use AI to create a setting or illustration, make it clear that it's a composite.
• Take care of your reviews. If consumers use AI to compare options, reviews and complete product information carry even more weight in their choice.

Letting customers down is costly: complaints end up on social media and hurt the brand's reputation.

Original article: meioemensagem.com.br.