Gartner Marketing Survey Finds 35% of Consumers Rely on Influencers Less Due to AI

Q&A with Emily Weiss, Senior Principal Analyst, Gartner

Stamford, CT (Nov. 2, 2026) – Consumers are becoming increasingly selective about the sources they trust online, with 35% of consumers saying they now rely on influencers less for shopping information and recommendations due to AI emerging, according to a Gartner survey.

The Gartner survey of 1,006 U.S. consumers, conducted between May and June 2026, found that as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent across digital channels, many consumers are growing more skeptical of both brand and influencer content.

We spoke with Emily Weiss, Sr Principal Analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice, to discuss how AI-generated content is reshaping consumer trust, why some consumers are becoming more skeptical of influencer and brand content, and what marketers can do to maintain authenticity and credibility in an increasingly AI-generated environment.

Q: How is AI affecting consumer trust in digital content?

A: Consumers are experiencing a growing volume of “AI slop”, which is a catch-all term for oversaturation of AI-generated content that is typically of lower quality or lower effort than similar human-made content. This AI slop can be seen across brand, creator-led and social media channels. Our survey showed that 65% of consumers believe brands are producing too much AI-generated content in their marketing materials, while 57% say this content has made them less trusting of brand messaging overall.

Consumers are not rejecting AI outright. However, they are becoming more selective about the content they trust, and the sources they rely on for information and recommendations as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent online.

Q: What does this tell marketers about the future of trust in digital marketing?

A: Trust is becoming more complex in increasingly AI-saturated digital environments.

As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, consumers are reassessing who and what they trust. While influencers have traditionally been viewed as a source of authenticity and credibility, 35% of consumers now rely on influencers less frequently due to the prevalence of AI-generated content. At the same time, 43% say they now rely more on real people for shopping information and recommendations because of AI-generated content’s prevalence.

For marketers, this means credibility, transparency and demonstrated expertise matter more than ever.

Q: How can marketing leaders use AI effectively without contributing to AI fatigue?

A: The answer is not to avoid AI. The answer is to use it thoughtfully.

Many organizations are using AI to create content faster and at greater scale. However, consumers are signaling that quality matters more than quantity. Marketers should focus on using AI to improve relevance, creativity and customer experiences rather than simply increasing content output. They must also create clear guidelines and policies around AI use for any brand-influencer partnerships.

As AI-generated content becomes more common, marketers should pay closer attention to what makes content useful, distinctive and credible. Consumers are telling us that human expertise and authentic perspectives still play an important role in building trust.

Additional Insights Available

Gartner clients can read more in the report CMOs Say Consumer Understanding Gaps Impact Marketing Strategy.

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Source: Gartner

Tags: Artificial Intelligence (AI), automated marketing, consumer attitudes, Content Marketing, Gartner, personalized marketing, survey