AI becomes product discovery tool in Southeast Asia

impact.com, Cube and Dentsu have published research on eCommerce influencer and affiliate marketing in Southeast Asia. The study found that 24% of consumers in the region now use generative AI tools during their shopping journey.

The report draws on responses from 2,400 consumers in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, alongside market data and interviews with marketers, creators, publishers and industry specialists.

Its central finding is that AI is becoming a route for product discovery, but not the main source of trust when consumers decide what to buy. Recommendations from family and friends ranked highest for purchase influence, scoring 2.42 out of 4, ahead of online reviews at 2.36 and creators at 1.98.

That trend exists alongside the continued influence of online personalities. Two in three consumers, or 67%, said they had bought a product because a creator recommended it.

Discovery shift

Online marketplaces remain the main discovery channel in the region, with 71% of consumers saying they find new products there. Search engines followed at 57%.

Generative AI is now part of that mix. One in four consumers said they use tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude to support product searches and shopping decisions.

Use of those tools varies across Southeast Asia. Vietnam recorded the highest adoption at 34%, followed by Indonesia at 31%, while Singapore had the lowest at 14%.

The findings suggest newer AI tools are being added to existing shopping habits rather than replacing them. The study found that 40% of consumers said generative AI had not changed how much they rely on creators for product recommendations.

Views on trust were split. Some 38% of respondents said they trust AI and creators equally, 36% said they lean towards creators, and 25% said they lean towards AI.

Trust signals

The report also examined what drives affiliate purchases. Nearly half, or 49%, were linked to trust and validation, while 28% were driven by utility and convenience.

Trusted recommendations and reviews therefore ranked ahead of discounts and promotional offers in influencing purchases. The research points to a consumer journey that is becoming more fragmented across marketplaces, search, AI tools, creators, publishers and brand-owned channels.

Nick Randall, AVP, Customer Growth, APJ, impact.com, said the industry was facing another shift in how people find products online.

Randall said: "Every major shift in eCommerce has changed how consumers discover products, from search engines and marketplaces to social media, and AI represents the next evolution. 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."

The study argues that this has implications for how companies assess marketing performance across the region. As shoppers move between several touchpoints before making a purchase, it becomes harder to attribute influence to a single channel.

For marketers, that means creator recommendations, publisher content, reviews and AI-driven discovery are increasingly connected. AI-generated responses are also shaped by material already published by third parties, including creators, reviewers and publishers.

That may help explain why the rise of generative AI has not yet weakened the role of human recommendation in final purchase decisions. Consumers may use AI tools to narrow options or surface products, but the research indicates they still turn to personal networks, reviews and creators for reassurance before buying.

The regional split in adoption also highlights differences in digital behaviour across Southeast Asia. Higher use in Vietnam and Indonesia suggests consumers in those markets are adopting AI shopping tools faster, while lower use in Singapore points to slower uptake despite its mature digital market.

The report is the fourth annual edition of the eCommerce influencer marketing study produced by the three organisations. It combines survey data with broader eCommerce market analysis to track how consumer behaviour is changing across one of the world's most competitive online retail regions.

Among its clearest findings is that shopping journeys are becoming more complex, but trust still lies with people rather than machines. Recommendations from family and friends remained the single most trusted source when respondents made purchase decisions.