AI-Driven Comparisons Complicate Brand Recall

BOSTON, Oct. 6, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- New research from Skyword reveals how AI-assisted comparisons are impacting brand perception and recall among U.S. consumers. The study, conducted among 1,000 U.S. adults, found that 70% have used AI tools such as ChatGPT or encountered AI-generated summaries when researching a company or product, with 61% relying on these tools at least sometimes when deciding whether to buy from one company over another.

The survey also highlights a growing consideration for marketers: appearing in AI-assisted research does not guarantee a brand will stand out or be remembered. Specifically, 45% of U.S. adults have had trouble choosing between two companies because AI-generated answers made them sound too similar. This finding underscores a critical consideration for marketers: simply being visible or cited in an AI-generated answer does not mean a brand will be the one a consumer remembers or considers.

Among the respondents, only 42% remembered specific details about the company or product they compared, while 32% remembered general information without knowing which company it came from. Only 26% could recall the company or product name. These statistics reflect Skyword's assertion that being cited in an AI-generated response does not equate to influencing a decision. A citation may indicate that a brand's content contributed to the generated response, but it does not mean the brand will be the one a consumer remembers or considers.

The research points to a potential recall challenge, as consumers can come away from AI-assisted comparisons remembering what they learned without retaining which brand was cited for the information. For marketers, this raises the bar for content. Clear, well-structured information can help AI systems find and understand a brand's content, but differentiation requires more substance: original research, firsthand expertise, customer evidence, and perspectives competitors cannot easily reproduce. Those signals give both AI systems and consumers something more distinct to associate with the brand.

Consumers also offered insights into what makes AI interactions feel related to a specific company. When asked what made an AI chat assistant on a company's website feel like that specific company rather than a generic chatbot, the most-cited response was company-specific knowledge, followed by the company's logo, colors, and design. Only 26% said nothing about the interaction felt company-specific.

The findings suggest that consumers are responding to what an AI system knows rather than how an experience looks or sounds. Brand identity in AI is not just about how an experience looks or sounds. Companies need to understand and leverage their unique expertise and proprietary knowledge to help make an AI experience feel recognizably its own rather than interchangeable with any other brand.

The research also reveals that consumers find it difficult to choose between companies, with 49% of consumers saying different companies' websites, social posts, or emails frequently sound similar to one another. This challenge is especially pronounced among younger generations, with nearly 70% of Gen Z consumers finding it difficult to choose between companies, compared to 17% of Baby Boomers. Gen Z respondents were more likely to say a distinct voice or personality helps a company stand out, with 58% compared to 21% of Boomers.

The study underscores the need for brands to understand not only whether their brands appear in AI-generated answers but also what information those systems associate with them and how distinctly they are represented. Mentions and citations can signal visibility, but brands also need to know whether their content accurately reflects their positioning and highlights their expertise to build authority around the questions that matter to customers.

To learn more about Skyword's approach to building authority in AI search, visit www.skyword.com.

The survey was conducted among 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older in August 2026 to understand how AI-driven interactions are influencing brand perception, differentiation, and recall. Skyword is the enterprise content marketing agency with Accelerator360, a patented AI platform that transforms category expertise into audience preference and measurable pipeline growth. For over 15 years, brands like IBM, GE Healthcare, Mastercard, and ADP have relied on Skyword to plan, produce, and activate authoritative content at scale, with the governance and consistency complex enterprises require.