Stories
AI Search Dominates Indian Purchase Journeys, Overtaking Social Media Influence
S
Storyboard•28-09-2026, 10:29
AI Search Dominates Indian Purchase Journeys, Overtaking Social Media Influence
- •AI search now influences 22% of purchase journeys in India, surpassing social media in impact on final brand choice.
- •India leads Asia in AI-led discovery, with LLM search reaching 22% of purchase journeys compared to just 5% in Japan.
- •LLM search influences the final brand choice for 65% of its users in India, marginally ahead of social media's 64%.
- •AI-generated recommendations are changing consumer consideration, with over half of LLM-assisted journeys leading to discovery of new brands.
- •Consumers trust AI recommendations due to synthesized information, comparisons, and clear rationales, reducing uncertainty associated with sponsored advertising.
Key Questions Answered
According to a BCG report, LLM search reaches 22% of purchase journeys in India, placing the country ahead of China, Japan, and South Korea in AI-led discovery touchpoints.
LLM search influences the final brand choice for 65% of consumers who use it in India, making it marginally more influential among its active users than social media at 64%.
BCG notes that consumers trust LLMs because they synthesize information, weigh alternatives against each other, and provide personalized responses with clear rationales to reduce purchase uncertainty.
