Shoppers trust affiliate content over AI chatbot links, new research finds

Artificial intelligence has not displaced affiliate marketing. Fresh research suggests it has made it more important.

A new report from Levanta on affiliate marketing after AI shows that while virtually all shoppers now use tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini to research products, only about one in ten actually clicks the links those assistants recommend.

What actually builds buyer confidence and drives purchases, the study concludes, is trusted affiliate content.

Among the findings, 87 percent of consumers come across products through creators, blogs and online communities, and then complete their purchases on marketplaces such as Amazon or Walmart.

Most shoppers place far more faith in marketplace reviews, editorial sites and YouTube creators than they do in AI assistants.

The research also found that 62 percent of consumers buy within 24 hours when they encounter a product inside content they trust.

Rather than replacing affiliate marketing, AI appears to be reshaping it. As consumers combine AI-driven research with human recommendations, affiliates are turning into the crucial bridge between product discovery and the final purchase.