By Helen Rose, Head of Insight, Analytics & Data
Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot and Google’s Gemini are changing the ways consumers seek information and inspiration, and even how they make purchase decisions, according to new proprietary research from the7stars.
The whitepaper, From Keywords to Conversations, published in collaboration with Potentia, shows that LLMs have rapidly moved from niche tools to everyday essentials for most Brits, with over half of consumers actively using them, including three-quarters of 25-34s. The speed at which Brits have both adopted and educated themselves on these tools is also striking. In a little over three years since ChatGPT first became widely available, some 78% of Brits feel they understand how to use LLMs to their everyday advantage.
While search engines remain the go-to route for brand discovery, the landscape is shifting fast. 41% of Brits say they use AI to discover new brands, higher than both social media (28%) and content creators (16%). As AI has become a part of our everyday lives, so Brits have grown used to purchase journeys starting with a question and a chatbot conversation; 78% agree that LLMs have ‘revolutionised how they search and find information’.
That Brits place such faith in large language models is particularly notable given the myriad headlines in recent years about Generative AI’s potential to ‘hallucinate’ incorrect information. Most popular chatbots include a disclaimer that AI can make mistakes, asking users to check information against other sources. Yet the7stars’ research found that 61% of Brits have trust in the recommendations made to them by LLMs, a higher percentage than those who trust either peer or influencer reviews.
Indeed, qualitative research found that many Brits had greater trust in AI than even search engines, with consumers noting that LLMs tended to provide a single view, while many expressed frustration that search engines often offered up conflicting sources.
For now, LLMs continue to play a greater role in the research phase of the consumer journey, with impact on the purchase phase still to catch up. Currently, LLM-driven referral traffic accounts for only 0.07% on a last-click basis. Still, nearly half of users now rely on AI tools to shortlist purchases, showing the potential for Generative AI to assist Brits with more than just information.
While Search remains the ‘go-to’ channel for brand discovery, the brand battle of the next decade will be fought in new ways. For brands to be successful, appearing at the top of a search result is no longer sufficient; brands must also ensure they form part of the everyday conversations consumers are having with LLMs.
This presents a clear challenge for marketing leaders: start optimising for LLMs now, or risk being invisible in the conversations that matter.
A PDF of the7stars’ latest whitepaper, From Keywords to Conversations: How LLMs are Rewriting Brand Discovery, can be accessed here.
