Attention Rewired: How AI Is Reshaping Consumer Behavior—and Why Standards Matter Now

We’re entering a new era. One where AI isn’t just a tool, but a central force shaping how people search, discover, and engage with content. Traditional rules of advertising and discovery aren’t just evolving, they’re being rewritten in real time by AI.

To better understand how this transformation is unfolding, we surveyed 4,000 consumers across North America and Europe . We explored how people are using AI, what they expect from it, and how it’s influencing their online behavior, content consumption, and trust in advertising, especially within AI-powered environments. What we found is clear: consumer behavior is evolving fast. People expect relevance, transparency, and smarter experiences.

The advertising technology ecosystem continues evolving to address privacy, measurement, and automation challenges facing the industry.

For brands and advertisers, this means rethinking how to earn attention and build trust in a landscape where AI is powering the next generation of discovery. Consumer adoption of AI is happening faster than many anticipated.

For many, AI tools are now embedded into daily routines, marking a profound shift in how people interact with the technology since ChatGPT was first released just three years ago . The majority of consumers we surveyed have used AI tools, and 67% now engage with them daily or several times a week. Daily use is slightly higher among men (25%) compared to women (20%). Most access AI via mobile (80%), and more than half (56%) use just one device, indicating AI is often leveraged for quick, on-the-go tasks rather than deep research or extended interactions.