With the use of generative AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini thoroughly in the mainstream, a new study shows that AI alone isn’t enough to close the deal, especially when trust and purchase decisions are on the line – it takes a traditional push.
A new national study from Audacy found that 68% of Americans now use Large Language Model AI platforms like Gemini, with 72% saying they engage with the tools at least once a week for everything from travel planning to finding financial advisors. But while 43% of users turn to AI for product research, only 33% have acted on an AI-generated recommendation.
The gap comes down to trust, which makes sense, considering Americans rank highest in the world for anxiety about AI, according to ZeroBounce.
While AI may help consumers discover new brands, traditional media like radio is key to reinforcing those recommendations. In the study, over 80% of respondents said hearing a brand on radio or TV makes them more likely to trust a product AI recommends. Podcasts, streaming video, social media, and outdoor ads also play a role, but legacy media scored highest.
Audacy says this data points to a new model of media strategy in an AI-influenced landscape. AI may prime the consumer, but brands need to use traditional media to validate that AI-assisted research. The company calls this phenomenon “AI-Priming,” which is essentially a flipped version of showrooming, where buyers arrive in-store or online with decisions already shaped by AI-driven research.
For local businesses, this means the sales process no longer starts at the register or landing page; it begins within AI platforms. And while marketers are being urged to prepare for Answer Engine Optimization as a digital strategy, the study emphasizes that trust is still built the traditional way: through consistent, credible media presence.
