Generative AI and social commerce platforms are fundamentally changing consumer research and purchase behaviours, with over one in five (21.6%) ChatGPT interactions now demonstrating some degree of commercial intent, and 7.1% showing high intent and providing strong purchase signals.
So says a new report from Measure Protocol, which reveals that business finance (34%) and product comparison (28%) dominate these high-intent conversations.
Based on comprehensive analysis of ChatGPT conversations from 3,458 users over five months, over 800,000 TikTok sessions, and six months of cross-platform behavioural data, Measure Report 2025 provides the first definitive look at how consumers are integrating AI tools into their searching and shopping journeys.
It shows that consumers are divided into four distinct patterns: Complementary Users (26.4%) expanding their toolkit; Competitive Replacement Users (24.4%) substituting AI for search, General Decline Users (25.8%) reducing both search and ChatGPT activity; and Reverse Cannibalisation Users (17.2%) with a decline in ChatGPT usage and an increase in search.
The analysis of around 1,200 purchase sessions on TikTok shows that 70% have some measurable content influence and 2x increased in-platform search activity, 25% higher overall session activity.
Meanwhile, over 32% of post-AI session searches connect directly to prior conversations, revealing sophisticated workflows that bypass traditional attribution models.
The research reveals three fundamental shifts demanding immediate strategic attention:
– End of last-click attribution: With consumers researching across multiple platforms before purchasing, single-platform attribution models overstate the importance of final touchpoints while missing the complex research journey that drives decisions.
– From interruption to facilitation: Brands must shift from interruption-based marketing tactics to supporting sophisticated research journeys that now routinely include AI tools as reasoning engines and verification hubs.
– Platform specialisation strategy: Rather than choosing between platforms, sophisticated users are developing specialised workflows where AI serves complex problem-solving, search provides verification, and social platforms drive discovery and commerce.
Measure Protocol co-founder and chief data officer Paul Neto said: “Consumers are no longer following simple, linear paths to purchase. They are using ChatGPT as a research assistant, then validating that information across social platforms and traditional search, indicating the search landscape is in active transition rather than settled disruption.
“As a result, purchase journeys are becoming even more sophisticated and legacy attribution models simply can’t capture them.”
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