A recent study from Boston Consulting Group and Moloco shows that marketers aren’t just talking about AI anymore, they’re bracing for seismic shifts in how people behave. How we discover, evaluate, and buy products and services online is heading into new and unchartered territory. In a survey of senior marketing leaders across five regions, 67 % expect significant AI-driven disruption to consumer journeys and almost all anticipate some level of change in the near future. Buckle-up.

From Search to Answers: Behavioral Shifts at Scale

The research, encapsulated in the Consumer AI Disruption Index, makes one thing clear: traditional discovery channels like paid and organic search are weakening as AI answers become the new start points for consumer journeys. As large language models (LLM) and AI assistants guide (and increasingly automate) discovery and comparisons, consumers are more likely to get what they want without clicking through multiple pages. Th is is a structural shift that impacts how brands show-up and stay relevant.

This isn’t theoretical disruption. It’s already reflected in digital behavior: searches may end without clicks, AI tools are starting more shopping journeys, and a growing share of consumers are comfortable letting AI make purchases on their behalf, fundamentally collapsing the old marketing funnel into a single, AI-mediated interaction.

Not All Vertical Markets Are Created Equal

The AI Disruption Index doesn’t just warn, it maps the landscape. By plotting AI disruption risk against customer relationship strength, it reveals four archetypes that help us see where brands are most exposed, and where they can compete:

• Breached: High disruption, weak relationships
  • Travel, retail, and news are examples here. These brands risk being bypassed if they don’t build deeper loyalty and embed AI into their own platforms.
• Undefended
  • Moderate disruption with transactional audiences like gaming and dating, where personalization and loyalty mechanics matter more than ever.
• Contested
  • Strong relationships but vulnerable services (e.g., productivity tools), these players are well-positioned to shape how AI augments workflows.
• Secured
  • Low disruption risk fueled by trust and regulatory moats. Think fintech and media/streaming, where brands can use AI to deepen efficiency and personalization.

What Brands Should Do Now

If there’s a through-line in this research, it’s that customer relationships remain the durable asset in an AI-mediated world. Companies that thrive won’t just chase tools, they’ll strengthen ownership of their digital experiences (like apps and first-party data), enrich loyalty, and rethink discovery beyond search paradigms.

At InsideHeads, we’ve long emphasized that deep human insight informs strategy before technology does. This new AI disruption data reinforces that approach. As AI agents grow more capable, brands that understand not just where and how consumers behave, but why they choose one brand over another, will be the ones scripting future success stories in the AI era.

Where does your brand sit in the minds of your target market and what will they be doing and thinking to get there? Find the answers you need from InsideHeads, contact us today. Need an answer now? Call us at 1-877-464-3237.