Shoppers turn against AI social content, survey finds

Research from the Retail Technology Show suggests shoppers are growing more wary of AI-generated content on social media, with demand for human-led content rising, particularly among younger consumers.

A survey of more than 1,000 shoppers found that 53% mistrusted AI-generated social content. Among Gen Z consumers, the figure rose to 58%.

The research also showed that 51% believed AI risked eroding brand trust on social platforms. Separate data from Klaviyo found that 50% of shoppers had noticed low-quality AI-generated material used by brands in social campaigns over the past six months.

That scepticism appears to be shaping shopping behaviour on social channels. Some 43% said the growth of AI had made authentic, human-led content more important when they browse and buy on social media, rising to 62% among Gen Z shoppers.

The findings suggest retailers and brands are adjusting their marketing strategies as concerns about synthetic content grow. According to the Retail Technology Show, companies are moving away from celebrity-led promotions towards micro-influencers and creators with more defined niches in an effort to rebuild credibility.

There are also signs this shift is affecting how shoppers respond to online campaigns. The research found that 34% of customers trusted campaigns created by content creators more than brand content, while 48% said authentic, human-led content was more likely to prompt a purchase on social platforms.

Among Gen Z, that effect was far stronger, with 70% saying human-led content was more likely to influence them to buy. The figures point to a notable shift in a demographic that has also been among the most active users of AI tools.

Trust Shift

The results also indicate a reversal in attitudes towards influencers, a group that had seen a steep decline in consumer trust in recent years. This appears linked to brands changing their social strategies and relying more on smaller creators and interest-led content rather than broad endorsement campaigns.

That shift matters because social commerce increasingly depends on trust as well as visibility. If consumers are less willing to rely on polished or automated content, brands may need to show clearer signs of authorship, expertise and personal relevance in their social posts.

The survey suggests authentic content is not only helping to build confidence online but also influencing offline behaviour. It found that 46% of respondents were more likely to engage with or buy from a brand in real life after viewing its content on social media.

That effect was stronger among younger age groups, reaching 69% for Gen Z and 68% for Millennials. This indicates that social content serves not only as a sales prompt within apps but also as a route into broader brand relationships.

Social Buying

The figures offer a snapshot of how social buying journeys are evolving as AI-generated content becomes more common and more recognisable to users. While brands have embraced AI tools to produce marketing material quickly and at scale, the data suggests visibility alone does not guarantee trust or conversion.

Retailers have been trying to make social channels more central to product discovery, customer engagement and direct sales. But the latest figures show that the quality and perceived authenticity of content remain decisive in whether shoppers act on what they see.

For younger consumers in particular, the distinction between AI-assisted content and material that feels personal or rooted in genuine interests appears to be shaping purchase behaviour. That may influence how retailers allocate marketing budgets across creators, social platforms and in-house production.

Matt Bradley, Founder & Event Director, 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."