AI is Changing Product Discovery, But Human Trust Still Drives Purchases, New impact.com, Cube and Dentsu Research Shows

Southeast Asia consumers are adopting generative AI for shopping at wildly different rates-yet the research finds one constant across the region: human trust still drives the actual purchase.

Singapore - July 27, 2026 - impact.com, the world's leading global infrastructure for partnership-driven commerce, in collaboration with Cube, an e-commerce market intelligence provider, and Dentsu, global advertising and marketing agency network, has released the fourth edition of their annual eCommerce influencer marketing report, E-commerce Influencer and Affiliate Marketing in Southeast Asia 2026. The report explores how AI is transforming the way consumers discover products and brands. At the same time, it finds that creators, publishers, and trusted partnerships continue to play a critical role in influencing purchase decisions and driving growth in the AI era.

Drawing on insights from 2,400 consumers, together with Cube's regional e-commerce market data, and interviews with marketers, creators, publishers, and industry experts across Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the report examines the next evolution of digital commerce in Southeast Asia. As consumer journeys become increasingly fragmented, the findings reveal that AI adoption is already playing a meaningful role in both discovery and consideration for consumers across Southeast Asia. One in four (24%) Southeast Asian consumers now use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude to support their shopping journey, signalling AI's emergence as a new product discovery channel. AI-generated answers themselves are shaped by third-party voices: creators, publishers, and reviewers, whose content trains and informs what these tools recommend. For brands, the opportunity is clear: activating partners doesn't just drive sales directly, it also shapes how a brand is surfaced and recommended by AI.

At the same time, recommendations from family and friends remain the single most trusted source when it comes to purchase decisions, with respondents rating them 2.42 out of 4 for influence, ahead of online reviews (2.36) and creators (1.98). Additionally, two in three consumers (67%) say they have bought a product specifically because a creator recommended it, reinforcing that trust and authentic reviews remain central to commerce even as AI reshapes discovery.

The report also highlights that AI is not replacing existing channels. It's becoming another layer within an increasingly interconnected commerce ecosystem. As consumers move between AI assistants, marketplaces, creators, publishers, retail media, and brand-owned channels, brands need integrated, always-on partnership strategies to stay visible and relevant at every touchpoint.

"Every major shift in e-commerce has changed how consumers discover products-from search engines and marketplaces to social media-and AI represents the next evolution, said Nick Randall, AVP, Customer Growth, APJ at impact.com. "But while discovery continues to evolve, trust remains remarkably consistent. Consumers still look to creators, publishers, and trusted recommendations to validate their purchasing decisions. The opportunity for brands isn't choosing between AI and partnerships, it's understanding how they work together to create more meaningful customer journeys and ultimately drive commerce."

Key takeaways for brands navigating the next era of e-commerce include:

• Marketplaces remain the leading discovery channel - Seven in ten (71%) consumers discover new products through online marketplaces, followed by search engines (57%). Meanwhile, one in four consumers now use generative AI as part of their product discovery journey.
• AI adoption varies across Southeast Asia - Vietnam (34%) and Indonesia (31%) lead the region in the use of generative AI for product discovery, while Singapore records the lowest adoption at 14%, highlighting varying levels of AI adoption across the region.
• AI is reinforcing creator reliance, not replacing it - 40% of consumers say generative AI has not changed how much they rely on creators for product recommendations, while trust between the two remains closely split - 38% trust both equally, 36% lean toward creators, and 25% lean toward AI.
• Authenticity outweighs promotions - Nearly half (49%) of affiliate purchases are driven by trust and validation, followed by utility and convenience (28%). Consumers continue to cite convincing recommendations and trusted reviews as stronger purchase drivers than discounts or promotional offers.
• Partnership marketing is becoming more interconnected - As the path to purchase increasingly spans across creators, publishers, marketplaces, and AI-powered discovery, brands need a platform with a single, consolidated view of how each partner contributes to the customer journey, so performance can be measured and rewarded accordingly.

The full E-commerce Influencer & Affiliate Marketing in Southeast Asia 2026 report is available here.