AI doesn't care about your ad budget; it cares about your data.
The Paradox of Trend Loyalty - Small businesses can now compete with giants because AI doesn't care about your ad budget; it cares about your data. If you have better structured data and more authentic reviews, ChatGPT will recommend you over a big brand with a messy website.
"Zero-Friction Discovery" Consumers no longer have to "work" to find products. Between visual search and AI summaries, the time spent "searching" is dropping, while the time spent "experiencing" is increasing.
Shift / Trend B2C (Consumer) B2B (Business)
1. Visual Search - High. Customers point phones at shoes or decor they see in real life or on TikTok to buy instantly via Google Lens.Medium/Emerging. Procurement teams use visual search to identify specific spare parts or equipment models on-site.
2. Live Shopping - Massive. TikTok/Instagram Live turns "browsing" into "buying" in seconds. Emotional and impulse-driven.Strategic. "Live Webinars" are evolving into interactive demos where technical questions are answered in real-time to close high-ticket deals.
3. AI Research - Default. Consumers ask ChatGPT: "What's the best stroller for travel?" AI synthesizes the top reviews for them.Critical. Tech buyers ask AI: "Compare Salesforce vs. HubSpot for a team of 50." If you aren't in the AI's training data, you aren't in the deal.
4. Comparison - Default Price-Driven. AI instantly shows a cheaper alternative. Loyalty is "fleeting" and tied to cultural trends. Logic-Driven. Buyers use AI to compare ROI, security specs, and contract terms. Comparisons are deeper and "spec-to-spec."
5. Search Everywhere - Social-First. Gen Z searches TikTok for fashion, not Google. Discovery happens in the feed.Authority-First. Decision-makers search LinkedIn and YouTube for expert opinions and vendor vetting before reaching out.