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Artificial Intelligence

The brand-building advantage in a world of AI-driven discovery

As AI streamlines digital search behavior, fewer active discovery moments remain for marketers to influence potential customers. New research from The Trade Desk Intelligence and PA Consulting explores what this means for brands and where the real opportunity lies.

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Report: Brand Building in the AI Age

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Answers are instant. Decisions are earned. 

AI search tools are making discovery faster than ever. A single prompt can summarize a category, narrow a short list, or surface a recommendation in seconds. Yet when decisions carry real weight, consumers still seek out trusted sources, expert perspectives, and brands they already know. 

New research from The Trade Desk Intelligence and PA Consulting explores how AI and the open internet work together throughout the consumer journey. The findings reveal that 95% of consumers double check AI-generated search results, often verifying information on the open internet. Meanwhile, people are 1.6 times more likely to finalize a purchase on the open internet than through AI tools.

Drawing on a multipronged study of 3,000 consumers across the U.S. and U.K., this study tracks how people move between AI-driven search tools and the open internet and what earns their trust at every stage. 

Fast facts

%
of consumers’ time online goes to CTV, podcasts, mobile apps, websites, and other non-AI environments
%
of respondents surveyed say AI slop has made social media feels less enjoyable
%
of people are not fully comfortable using only AI tools for big decisions
Source: The Trade Desk Intelligence and PA Consulting, Brand Building in the AI Era, U.S. and the U.K., January-March 2026.

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Explore the insights to understand how AI search tools and the open internet are reshaping the modern consumer journey and what it all means for advertisers.

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