Half of Southeast Asian shoppers use AI to find products
Online shopping is getting a big AI upgrade: half of Southeast Asian shoppers now use AI to find products, and even more rely on it to compare options, according to a new report from Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company.
With so many people turning to AI for suggestions, brands are working harder than ever to make sure their products show up in those recommendations.
Over 90% of shoppers double check
Even with all the buzz around AI, most people still double-check what they find. More than 90% keep digging through search engines, reviews, and social media before making a decision.
To keep up, brands are trying out new tools like Google's Business Agent for Leads (introduced in beta in India in July 2026), which helps them connect with shoppers right inside search ads.
The shift toward more AI-driven ads is happening slowly but definitely shaking up how brands reach us online.