Research from We are Talker finds AI is increasingly influencing which brands enter, and leave, consumer consideration before a purchase is made.



NEW YORK, NY, October 29, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- We Are Talker is using findings from its new Invisible Shortlist study to highlight a growing challenge for brands: consumers can now add or eliminate companies from consideration inside an AI conversation, before ever reaching a brand website.

The study, conducted by Talker Research among 2,000 U.S. adults who had used AI for a personal purpose in the previous three months, found that 70% had discovered a brand, product or service for the first time through AI.

Nearly two-thirds of all respondents, 64%, had gone on to buy or use something from a brand AI first introduced to them.

At the same time, 68% said information from AI had caused them to rule out a brand or product they were considering.

We are Talker describes this as The Invisible Shortlist: the brands AI adds to, or removes from, a shopper's consideration while a purchase decision is still open.

"The shortlist is increasingly being shaped before a consumer ever reaches a brand's website," said Tim Haslam, CEO of We are Talker.

"AI isn't just helping people find information. It is starting to influence which brands get considered, which get rejected and ultimately which get chosen.

"That creates a different challenge for brands. It is no longer enough simply to be visible. Brands need credible, attributable evidence that helps AI understand why they deserve to be considered and recommended."

The research forms part of We are Talker's work around AI-era brand authority and its Talker Pulse™ program, which examines how major AI platforms answer commercial questions, which sources they rely on and whether brands appear in recommendations.

We are Talker's approach combines original research, primary-source publishing and earned media with monitoring of how AI systems interpret and cite that evidence.

"The brands that build authority early in the customer journey can win customers they may never previously have reached. The ones that do not may never even know they were excluded from the decision," Haslam added.

The Invisible Shortlist study also found that 73% of respondents open to using AI in purchase decisions considered AI recommendations influential, compared with 81% for search results and 79% for customer reviews.

The findings suggest brands increasingly need to understand not just how they rank in search, but how they are represented inside AI-generated answers and recommendations.

About The Invisible Shortlist Study
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults who had used an AI tool or assistant for a personal, non-work purpose within the previous three months.

The online survey was conducted for We are Talker between September 21 and 30, 2026. Results are self-reported.

Full study: https://wearetalker.com/the-invisible-shortlist-ai-brand-discovery-study-2026/
Citation record: https://talkerresearch.com/the-invisible-shortlist/
Methodology: https://talkerresearch.com/methodology/

About We are Talker

We are Talker is a research-led communications agency helping brands build authority through original research, earned media and AI visibility strategy.

Its Talker Pulse™ program is designed to help brands understand and strengthen how they are represented, cited and recommended across AI search and answer platforms.

Read the original story here: https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/540062/we-are-talker-uses-new-invisible-shortlist-study-to-define-brand-authority-in-ai-search

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