Singapore – New research from AI-powered customer data cloud Amperity shows that artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping consumer purchase decisions, weakening traditional brand loyalty, and heightening the need for trusted customer context at key moments of engagement.
The findings, drawn from Amperity’s The 2026 Consumer Priorities Report: The New Rules of Loyalty in the Age of AI, examine how generative AI is reshaping the way consumers discover brands, make purchase decisions, and define loyalty. The study is based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 18 to 65 conducted in May 2026 using Pollfish.
The research shows that consumers are increasingly relying on AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to compare products, plan travel, and evaluate services, placing new pressure on brands competing for attention and loyalty.
While personalisation remains important to consumers, the report notes that its effectiveness depends on whether experiences are perceived as relevant, timely, and trustworthy.
According to the report, 80% of generative AI users said they use tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to research products, compare services, or plan travel, while the same proportion said they sometimes or often act on AI-generated recommendations by clicking links, making purchases, or booking services. In addition, 60% of respondents said AI has led them to choose a brand they had not previously considered, while only 23% said they go directly to familiar brands without first considering AI recommendations.
The study also found that 63% of consumers would switch brands for a better offer, underscoring the increasingly conditional nature of loyalty. It added that loyalty programmes, rewards, and consistent cross-channel experiences remain among the strongest drivers of customer retention, although respondents indicated they are typically loyal to only a small number of brands within each category.
On personalisation, 72% of consumers said tailored experiences are somewhat or very important when choosing a brand, while 58% said invasive or “creepy” personalisation makes them less likely to engage. Meanwhile, 78% said they are more likely to interact with personalised experiences when they trust how their data is being used. Consumers also reported growing frustration with irrelevant, repetitive, and poorly timed brand interactions.
Overall, the findings point to a broader shift in how brands compete in an AI-driven marketplace, where consumers increasingly depend on AI tools to surface options and compare offerings. The report suggests that brands will need to move beyond static campaigns and fragmented customer journeys toward real-time decision-making grounded in trusted customer context.
“Consumers are increasingly turning to AI to help them decide what to buy, where to travel, and which brands to trust. That means loyalty can no longer be taken for granted,” said Derek Slager, Co-Founder and co-CEO of Amperity. “In an AI-driven marketplace, brands need more than customer data. They need trusted customer context that helps them recognise intent and respond with relevance in the moments that matter.”
“Personalisation isn’t the goal. Relevance is,” Slager continued. “Consumers are willing to share data when they see value in return, but they expect brands to use that information responsibly and intelligently. As AI becomes a bigger part of how consumers discover and evaluate brands, the ability to act on trusted customer context becomes a competitive advantage.”
The 2026 Consumer Priorities Report: The New Rules of Loyalty in the Age of AI explores how AI is reshaping customer expectations, loyalty, personalisation, and brand discovery across retail, travel, and service industries.
