Key Highlights

  • Highest in Asia: LLM search features in 22% of purchase journeys in India, the highest among India, China, Japan and South Korea, and nearly four times Japan's 5%.
  • Real influence: In India, LLM search shapes the final brand choice in 65% of the journeys where it is used.
  • Beats social media on influence: India is the only market studied where LLM search (65%) outranks social media (64%) as the most influential touchpoint among its users.
  • Catching up on reach: Social media still leads discovery in India at 29%, but LLM search is close behind.
  • New brands get a chance: Over half of LLM-assisted journeys led shoppers to brands they would not otherwise have found.

Before buying a phone, a skincare product or a pair of shoes, a growing number of Indian shoppers are now asking an AI chatbot for advice. A new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shows how quickly that habit is spreading, and how much it is shaping what people finally buy.

According to the report, large language model (LLM) search features in 22% of purchase journeys in India and shapes the final brand choice in 65% of LLM-assisted journeys.

India Is Far Ahead in Asia

India's 22% is the highest among the four Asian markets studied: India, China, Japan and South Korea. It is nearly four times Japan's 5%.

It is also closing in on social media, which leads discovery in India at 29%. Across the four markets, LLM search has already become one of the fastest-emerging touchpoints and ranks among the top five by reach, ahead of TV and radio, print and billboards.

Where AI Beats Instagram

The more striking finding is about influence, not reach. "Across the four markets, LLM search shapes the final brand choice for 52 per cent to 68 per cent of the consumers who turn to it. India sits near the top at 65 per cent, the only market in the study where LLM search actually outranks social media, at 64 per cent, as the most influential touchpoint among the consumers who use it," said Parul Bajaj, India Leader, Marketing, Sales and Pricing at BCG and report co-author.

She added that timing will differ across markets. "Brands can't assume LLM search will arrive on the same timeline everywhere, where you need to show up, and how quickly, depending entirely on the market you're in, and India shows just how far along that shift can already be."

Why It Matters: The Rise of "AI Visibility"

For brands, the report points to a new kind of competition. LLM search may not yet match social media's reach, but it already rivals its influence. As adoption grows, brands will have to think about visibility not only in social feeds, but also in AI-generated answers and recommendations.

This is sometimes called Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO: making sure a brand is accurately described, well reviewed and clearly explained in the sources that AI tools draw on. For marketers, it adds a new question to the old one of "Are we on page one of Google?": "What does the AI say about us?"

A Door Opens for Smaller Brands

The report also offers good news for lesser-known companies. Over half of LLM-assisted purchase journeys led consumers to consider brands they would not otherwise have found. That widens the opportunity for brands that have lower visibility through traditional touchpoints like TV or big-budget advertising.

What Consumers Like About It

Shoppers said AI-generated answers removed the guesswork of navigating sponsored advertising, and described the recommendations as personalised, objective and transparent.

That perception is powerful, but it also places a responsibility on AI platforms and brands. AI answers can be incomplete or outdated, so consumers are still best served by checking key details such as price, warranty and reviews before buying.

Part of a Larger Trend

The findings build on BCG's earlier work on AI and shopping in India. In a report earlier this year, BCG found that 64% of consumers in India reported using generative AI in their purchase journeys, making the country a global leader in the trend.

For years, brands fought for space on search results and social feeds. BCG's report suggests the next battleground is the AI answer box. In India, where shoppers have embraced AI tools faster than their Asian peers, that shift is already well under way.

With inputs from IANS.