Consumers Want AI-powered Clones to Shop For Them: Report
Around 70% of APAC consumers think that by 2035, relationships with AI companions can be as fulfilling and rewarding as human-to-human relationships. Are brands ready for the upcoming AI-filtered and culturally reshaped reality?
Consumers demand swift and personalised responses, expecting brands to anticipate their needs before realising them, thus alleviating choice fatigue. Around 80% of consumers believed that the best way for a brand to stand out and earn their loyalty is by having the ability to surprise and delight them in unexpected ways.
Brands are already adopting automation and technological advancements to transform routine tasks and enhance creativity in cultural interactions. Will this trend persist in an increasingly tech-savvy and AI-driven future?
Pivotal trends to reshape consumer behaviour
According to a recent Dentsu survey, 70% of consumers believe that their shopping decisions are influenced by their mood during the purchase. They strongly desire to be more impulsive and actively seek experiences that evoke strong emotions.
The survey further revealed that 70% of APAC consumers think that by 2035, relationships with ‘AI companions’ can be as fulfilling and rewarding as human-to-human relationships. This was highest in India (81%) and China (78%).
Here are a few key takeaways from the report:
- A staggering 62% of APAC consumers (vs 49% globally) expressed a desire to have an AI clone by 2035, tasked with handling shopping, administrative, and communication tasks.
- Around 88% of APAC consumers, the highest globally, are inclined to delegate work and personal scheduling duties to AI assistants, with several countries scoring notably above the regional average.
- The emergence of ‘AI Gatekeepers’ will continue at its pace: The study forecasted the rise of AI Gatekeepers, which consumers will rely on for recurring purchases, ad vetting, and representing them in focus groups, streamlining interactions with brands. Almost 85% of APAC consumers would like to have an AI assistant do this by 2035, as compared to a global average of 77%.
For instance, the recently launched Sixty AI utilises AI and machine learning to adapt the communication style of an individual consumer to then filter out unwanted communication and pass along only the most relevant of what is received, set and clear schedules, and even communicate around key milestones (e.g., sending anniversary wishes).
Also Read: Dentsu Unveils New Global Brand Proposition
Where do brand perception and customer attention align in an AI-filtered horizon?
Brands need to become more perceptive to garner consumer attention in the AI-focused and culturally reshaped reality on the horizon. Dominic Powers, Chief Growth Officer, dentsu APAC, said, “We are only now just entering the next era of transformation across technology, culture, and consumer expectations. An AI-filtered world might seem far into the future, but it is already becoming a reality today. Consumers’ interactions with brands will fundamentally shift within the next 10 years.”
“Business leaders and brand builders must start preparing for this new landscape today with both technology and creativity. These provocative insights are the starting point to guide people-centred transformation efforts that create long-term brand opportunities. Those that push the boundaries to innovate now will undoubtedly see the biggest impact through the next decade,” Dominic added.
How are brands across EMEA adopting AI and ML innovations to predict consumer demands?
AI and machine learning technologies offer possibilities, enabling brands to assess an increasing amount of information to get ahead of consumers and predict their choices before they know it themselves.
Capturing signals from AI agents that manifest preferences on behalf of consumers, developing brand personalities to fuel conversational engagement, and incorporating capabilities to decode human emotions will be key ways for brands to pivot from insight to foresight.
For instance, Zalora, a digital-first brand in SEA, recently launched its AI-powered customer service chatbot to offer seamless and personalised support to customers in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
The chatbot leverages AI that is programmed to learn and understand the intent behind customer inquiries and provide relevant, accurate responses in a highly intuitive and visual format.
Whereas, Singapore-based Wootag’s Intent platform partnered with L’Oreal Professional and Wavemaker on its Scalp Advance campaign in India.
By leveraging advanced genAI algorithms, the campaign navigated the complexities of consumer behaviour, utilising strategic audience segmentation and ad sizing. Consequently, the campaign saw a threefold increase in engagement, heightened brand awareness, and a 76% surge in audience attention.
