Brands pivot to AI-optimised marketing as GenAI shopping grows

They are adopting generative engine optimisation to appear in AI-driven search results.

Brands are rethinking digital marketing as consumers increasingly turn to generative AI (GenAI) platforms like ChatGPT to search for and buy products online, according to Euromonitor International.

In September 2024, GenAI platforms accounted for just 0.3% of inbound web referrals to retail product pages. By November 2025, that figure had risen to 3.5%, with no signs of slowing.

Brands are responding with “generative engine optimisation” (GEO), a strategy designed to appear in AI-generated search results rather than traditional search engines.

Swiss skincare brand Cetaphil has already updated product descriptions and PR strategies for GEO, driving significant online sales growth in India, South Korea, and Canada. Retail giants like Walmart and Amazon are following suit.

At the same time, new in-chat payment options are enabling shoppers to complete purchases without leaving these platforms.
OpenAI launched “Instant Checkout” in ChatGPT in September 2025, supported by the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) developed with Stripe.

PayPal joined in October 2025, allowing consumers to pay in a few taps while merchants gain a new GenAI-native sales channel. Other platforms, including Perplexity, are now offering similar capabilities.

By 2028, GenAI is expected to influence more than$595b in global retail e-commerce sales. Companies that ignore this shift risk being left behind.