Consumption: AI as an enabler of the brand-user relationship

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly present in consumers' daily lives : 73% of Italians have already used tools based on generative AI (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude), of which 25% say they do so regularly. When asked about the type of relationship they establish with AI, 34% of Italians define it as an "assistant," 26% as a "good advisor," and 24% go so far as to consider it a "good friend." This is clearly demonstrated in the data from the "Consumer Pulse Survey 2025," conducted by Accenture .

Nearly one in two Italians (47%) has already used artificial intelligence to support their purchasing decisions , while a further 37% is considering doing so in the near future. This behavior is part of an increasingly digital purchasing process: 40% of Italians complete the entire journey online, from initial research to purchase; 26% use digital channels for information but then purchase in-store; only 23% choose an entirely physical, traditional experience.

If we consider regular users and analyze the reasons why they use GenAI tools, the percentage of those who say they do so to support their purchasing decisions rises to 69% (vs. 47% of total users). This is followed by motivations related to achieving personal development goals (63%), work-related activities (61%), financial investment suggestions (59%), advice on social relationships (59%), and health and wellness (58%).

The “Me, my brand and Ai” paradigm

According to the study conducted by Accenture , in supporting and guiding consumers in their purchasing choices, artificial intelligence can take on three main roles:

• AI as a “trusted guide” – to suggest reliable, real-time solutions

While physical stores remain the primary source of recommendations to guide purchasing decisions, Generative AI is rapidly gaining ground, already positioning itself as the second-most popular source of information among regular users, surpassing friends, family, and other more common digital channels.

When it comes to source reliability, information found using Gen AI tools is deemed reliable by 24% of Italians, a percentage that rises to 37% if we consider regular users. However, these users continue to rely on traditional search engines (46%), online marketplaces (44%), brand-owned websites (42%), and in-store consultancy (41%).

Brands must therefore actively work to exploit the potential of artificial intelligence, improving the optimization of their content to increase its visibility and building greater trust and credibility with consumers.

• AI as a “trusted companion” – to create personalized, deep and emotional relationships with consumers

Many consumers are beginning to perceive artificial intelligence as a tool capable of offering personalized, proactive, and emotionally engaging experiences. AI opens up new possibilities for creating authentic and lasting relationships based on mutual understanding and relevance.

In this context, companies must focus on personalization, integrating AI with data throughout the supply chain to build increasingly authentic and memorable interactions that embody brand values and strengthen bonds with consumers.

Confirming this, 38% of Italians say they would be willing to switch brands if another could offer them an experience that made them feel special and recognized. This finding directly underscores the need for more intimate and meaningful interactions with brands.

• AI as “second me” – to act on behalf of consumers in purchasing decisions

AI agents can proactively act based on predefined instructions and learn from individual habits and preferences. This simplifies product comparisons, manages checkout, and even supports post-sales support.

Seventy percent of Italians say they are already open to relying on a personal AI agent to solve their problems. Among those who regularly use GenAI tools, 34% let AI manage most of the process, reserving only the final decision, while 8% go further, delegating the decision entirely to AI, without supervision. We are still in the early stages, but its adoption is clearly advancing. To facilitate this transition, brands must earn consumer trust through greater transparency, personalization, and control, respecting individual values and preferences.

Building trust through loyalty programs

Nearly one in two Italians (48%) joins their favorite brands' loyalty programs, and 26% say they do so for competitor brands as well . The main reasons for not signing up for loyalty programs include a lack of willingness to pay a premium to join a program (73%), fear of being inundated with promotional communications (70%), or feeling tied to a particular brand (60%). Forty-one percent also say they don't want to provide brands with personal data and data about their purchasing habits.

More generally, 45% of Italians doubt the real value that can be derived from joining loyalty programs. To strengthen the relationship of trust with their consumers, brands can leverage the new potential of AI to improve their loyalty programs by increasing personalization, transparency, and relevance .

AI as a strategic tool for brands

According to Accenture's analysis, in a context of profound uncertainty like the current one, the brands that will be successful will be those able to focus not only on the economic factor, but on building memorable experiences and a strong connection with their consumers based on trust .

Artificial intelligence, also considering the degree of predisposition to its use by consumers, can become a strategic tool in the hands of brands to enable the creation of differentiating experiences and deeper relationships thanks to two key capabilities: empathy , useful for understanding and learning from human feelings; and autonomy , with which it anticipates needs and intervenes preemptively.

"Artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving from a simple tool to a truly strategic partner in the relationship between brands and consumers," said Andrea Ruzzi, head of Consumer and Manufacturing at Accenture Italy . "The data shows Italians are increasingly open to AI, not just as a decision-making aid, but as a personal agent capable of understanding, anticipating, and taking action. For brands, this means fundamentally rethinking the customer experience: building trust, personalizing interactions, and delivering memorable experiences thanks to increasingly empathetic and autonomous technologies, seamlessly integrated with sales staff. This transformation makes investments in both technological adoption and human upskilling even more crucial."