A recent study reveals that 43% of Americans have, at some point, felt misled by advertisements utilizing AI.
This survey, involving 2,000 adults from the U.S., found that 44% regularly encounter products being advertised with some form of AI. On average, participants question the authenticity of these ads—whether what they see features real products or AI-generated ones—about four times a week.
More than half of those surveyed expressed a lack of trust in AI-promoted products aligning with their descriptions.
Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Auros, the study also noted that 61% of respondents suspect at least one brand type might resort to misleading or AI-centric advertising practices.
Respondents identified clothing (16%), beauty and cosmetics (16%), electronics (14%), luxury items (11%), and food and beverage brands (11%) as the primary culprits of AI misuse.
Major retailers, such as Walmart (27%) and Amazon (26%), were perceived as the most likely to implement AI marketing, with social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook following closely at 24%.
When participants were asked how confident they felt in distinguishing between real and AI-generated products in advertisements, 44% responded positively, while 22% did not feel confident at all.
This notion was further explored when respondents were shown various ads, tasked with identifying whether the products were genuine or AI-created.
In the case of real products, an average of 52% recognized them correctly. However, 31% believed they were AI, and 18% thought the items were real but enhanced by AI.
Conversely, when shown fake products, an average of 42% correctly identified them as AI. Still, 34% thought they were real, and 24% thought they were real products altered with AI features.
The greatest confusion seemed to stem from images of real products enhanced by AI, where only 20% accurately identified them as such. The majority (60% on average) mistakenly thought these were purely AI, while 21% believed they were real.
Interestingly, the perception of quality appeared to shift based on whether AI was involved in the ad. Roughly a third of respondents (36%) associated AI with lower product quality, while only 17% felt it implied higher quality.
Bobby Meixner, vice president of solution marketing at Auros, shared insights on this emerging trust divide. He noted that while consumers express skepticism towards AI’s persuasive tactics, they welcome its use when it aids their decision-making. Essentially, it’s not about rejecting AI in shopping; it’s about resenting the feeling that it’s being wielded against them rather than for them.
Interestingly, despite a generally negative outlook on AI in advertising, many respondents reported a more positive view toward using AI as a shopping aid. Over half (53%) said they found AI beneficial during their shopping experiences.
Those surveyed pointed out that AI excels at locating the best price (24%), finding alternatives (22%), and gathering product reviews (22%). It has also proven helpful in showcasing product use cases (19%) and providing notifications for stock availability (17%).
Furthermore, 54% indicated plans to integrate AI into their holiday shopping this year. Many expect to utilize it for finding the best prices (21%), generating gift ideas (17%), comparing product reviews (16%), identifying deals (15%), and tracking shipments (15%).
During the busy holiday shopping season, 37% of participants believed AI would simplify gift-finding.
Holiday shoppers, on average, spend the most time—four hours each—shopping for their partners and children, while they spend just two hours on coworkers.
Bobby also remarked on the potential for AI to revolutionize e-commerce. He suggested that while traditional online shopping has typically been shaped by retailers, AI could redefine that dynamic by offering a personalized shopping experience tailored to the individual using data from various sources rather than just one retailer. This could fundamentally change who has the authority in the shopping journey.
Research methodology:
The survey was conducted by Talker Research, involving 2,000 American internet users. It was commissioned by Auros and carried out online from August 26 to September 1, 2026.
