For some time now, when searching on Google for information, resolving a doubt, or finding a product, it is no longer necessary to click on any links. Instead, an artificial intelligence initiates a conversation with you and responds directly, synthesizing the information without you having to leave the page. Clicking is a thing of the past. This forces brands to reconfigure their strategies: the challenge is no longer to appear among the top results, but to get AI to mention you. Because if artificial intelligence doesn't talk about you, you simply don't exist.
This is confirmed by the report 'The AI-Driven Consumer: Survival Manual for Brands', developed by LLYC in collaboration with Appinio. The study reveals that today the consumer journey begins with a prompt - an instruction or question directed at AI - not with a results page as before. This prompt leads to a conversation in which artificial intelligence does not provide a list of links, but a structured response based on "reliable" sources, selected according to what the model has learned to value and the user's own data. And here lies the key: in this new scenario, it is no longer enough to just "be there," you must be relevant to the algorithm. Brands and products no longer compete for clicks, but for mentions, citations, and above all, algorithmic trust. "It's not a generational trend, it's a new logic of interaction," emphasizes the report.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a promise of the future: it is a daily tool that is radically transforming how people inform themselves, shop, and make decisions. So much so that over 35% of searches are now directly resolved by AI, without needing to access any links.
In this context, over half of Spaniards state that they use artificial intelligence as part of their purchasing processes, a trend even more pronounced among the younger generation. The impact is so disruptive that 90% admit to having changed their way of getting informed since its arrival, and 53% claim that for everyday tasks, they prefer to interact with AI rather than a person.
AI has infiltrated virtually all consumer sectors. In automotive, 70% use it to compare models and decide between buying or leasing. In fashion and beauty, 80.5% turn to it to choose products based on skin type or style. In FMCG, 82.5% receive automated recipe suggestions or shopping lists. In travel, 84% plan from inspiration to booking with AI assistance. In education, 73.5% consult or receive recommendations for personalized courses. In finance, 76% use virtual assistants for transactions or advice. In health, 80% use it to manage their well-being. And in entertainment, 80.7% receive personalized recommendations for music, movies, or books.
"Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool: it is the new filter through which information is accessed, products are discovered, and decisions are made," states Jesús Moradillo, General Director of Strategy at LLYC Marketing Solutions. And he warns: "We are facing a disruption as aggressive as it is underestimated. AI is reshaping consumption habits at a speed that many brands have not yet calibrated. More and more purchasing decisions are born or filtered in conversational environments dominated by language models."
"The impact is not in the future, it is present. It affects brand discovery, positioning, and company performance," adds Moradillo, who emphasizes the urgent need for brands to earn the algorithm's trust. It is not a minor detail, as almost 53% of consumers trust AI recommendations more than those of influencers. This data confirms that we are facing a true paradigm shift.
In this new scenario, the study recommends that brands audit their algorithmic footprint, optimize their content for generative models, develop their own virtual assistants, and align campaigns, data, and media with conversational environments. In contrast to traditional SEO, LLYC proposes a new discipline: LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization), designed for brands to be trainable and eligible by language models.
Teresa Martos, General Director of Appinio in Spain, highlights that "research is essential to understand how AI impacts brand perception in different local markets." 64% of executives are already investing in AI, despite not yet having clarity on its ROI. And rightly so: as the study concludes, AI is already making decisions, even if brands are not prepared. Being left out of this transformation not only means losing visibility. It means ceasing to be considered at the critical moment of decision-making.