Survey: 53% of Shoppers Mistrust AI-Generated Social Content

A new survey of over 1,000 shoppers has found that 53% of consumers mistrust AI-generated social media content, with skepticism rising to 58% among Gen Z. The findings, released by the Retail Technology Show, signal a growing credibility problem for brands using AI to produce social content at scale.

The data arrives as generative AI use in marketing activities has grown 116% year over year, creating a widening gap between what brands are producing and what consumers are willing to trust.

Shoppers Are Already Noticing Low-Quality AI Content

The survey found that 51% of respondents believe AI risks eroding brand trust on social platforms. Separately, 50% of shoppers reported noticing low-quality AI-generated material in brand campaigns over the previous six months, according to Klaviyo data.

Purchase behavior is shifting in response. Among all shoppers, 48% said authentic, human-led content was more likely to prompt a purchase on social platforms. That figure climbs to 70% among Gen Z consumers.

Matt Bradley, Founder of the Retail Technology Show, said: "Brands have worked hard to regain shopper trust on social, putting human-first, interest-led content at the heart of community engagement. AI has accelerated this, making shoppers who crave authentic connections seek out accounts and content that mirror their interests in real and engaging ways."

A Dangerous Gap Between Executive Assumptions and Consumer Reality

The survey data exposes a significant disconnect at the leadership level. Research from IAB and Sonata Insights found that 82% of advertising executives believe Gen Z and Millennials view AI-generated ads positively. Only 45% of those consumers actually do. That is a 37-percentage-point gap between what executives believe and what shoppers report.

Real-world consequences are already visible. McDonald's removed an AI-generated Christmas advertisement following negative consumer response. Brands including Aerie and Dove have publicly committed to excluding AI from their advertising creative entirely.

Gartner predicts that 20% of brands will actively differentiate themselves by emphasizing the absence of AI in their products and campaigns by 2026.

Social Content Drives Real-World Buying, Raising the Stakes

The survey findings carry particular weight for markets where social commerce is central to daily shopping behavior. The data shows that 46% of all respondents were more likely to engage with or buy from a brand in real life after viewing its social content. That figure rises to 69% for Gen Z and 68% for Millennials.

This means that trust damage from poor-quality AI content does not stay on social platforms. It flows directly into offline purchase behavior and physical retail traffic.

The findings also show that 92% of shoppers require verification from real customers alongside AI recommendations before completing a purchase. When AI tools provided incorrect product information, 58% of consumers reported decreased overall trust in the brand, and 16% abandoned purchases entirely.

Brands Shift Toward Micro-Influencers and Niche Creators

In response to declining confidence in AI-produced material, brands are moving away from celebrity endorsements toward micro-influencers and niche content creators. The survey found that 34% of customers trusted campaigns created by content creators more than brand-produced content.

Among all shoppers, 43% said authentic, human-led content became more important when browsing and buying on social media. That figure reaches 62% among Gen Z respondents.

Transparent AI use can retain some consumer confidence. 57% of consumers said they trust brands more when AI is used transparently to add value. However, backlash triggers include data privacy concerns (34%), overly personalized experiences (24%), and inaccurate recommendations (18%).

The Retail Technology Show survey was conducted with over 1,000 shoppers. Full findings are available through the Retail Technology Show research portal.