AI-driven Referrals Grew Over 300% in 2025: Euromonitor International

• Retailers pivot to optimise for AI-influenced shopping
• ChatGPT referrals to US websites grew 367% in 2025
• Beauty and personal care emerges as the dominant category for GenAI-driven product discovery

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Generative AI platforms are transforming how consumers discover and purchase products, with AI-driven referrals to retail websites surging 304% from January to December 2025, well above the 40% growth recorded from other referrals sources, according to market intelligence company Euromonitor International.

Insights shared during the Euromonitor Live: First Look web event show how these technologies are beginning to shift the traditional purchase journey, challenging established channels and introducing new pathways that influence retail behaviour.

Citing the latest findings on retail insights and trends from Euromonitor International’s Passport knowledge hub, Michelle Evans, global lead for retail and digital shopper insights at Euromonitor International, said: “As generative AI platforms gain traction, retailers and brands must optimise for a new reality: the AI-influenced shopping experience. To remain visible and relevant, go‑to‑market strategies must evolve to reach not only consumers but the bots influencing purchase decisions.”

GenAI platforms challenge traditional traffic drivers

GenAI's influence varies significantly across retail categories, underscoring that online penetration alone no longer predicts success. Pet care leads in online share yet lags in GenAI referrals. Instead, beauty and personal care and consumer health dominate, combining strong online sales with high consideration products where consumers seek guidance and personalised recommendations.

ChatGPT emerged as the dominant force, with referrals to US websites growing 367% in 2025. Euromonitor's Voice of the Consumer: Digital Shopper Survey, fielded in March and April 2025, reveals that 43% of global shoppers using GenAI seek more relevant product recommendations, whilst 39% value enhanced personalised assistance.

Bob Hoyler, global insight manager for retail at Euromonitor International, explained: “Consumers are turning to AI with intent-rich queries where GenAI excels at complex discovery paths, drawing on product descriptions, reviews and category knowledge.”

Retail landscape transforms as AI assistants influence purchase decisions

As GenAI platforms become critical intermediaries in the purchase funnel, retailers face unprecedented challenges in maintaining direct relationships with consumers whilst ensuring discoverability through AI-driven channels.

Leading retailers are adopting varied approaches to the GenAI challenge. Amazon is building proprietary AI capabilities whilst retaining tight control over its shopping environment, Target is partnering with major GenAI platforms to expand its reach, and Walmart is balancing external partnerships with internal AI development.

“This transformation arrives as retail navigates other structural shifts, including market bifurcation towards value and premium experiences, and retreating globalisation. Organisations must evolve their strategies to thrive in this AI-influenced shopping landscape or risk obsolescence in an era where discovery is fundamentally reimagined,” concludes Evans.