The search journey increasingly starts with an answer
McKinsey reports that open-web traffic is down 8 percent since 2023, as AI-generated answers resolve more questions before anyone clicks through to a website. Roughly 22 percent of consumers already use generative AI when they shop, rising to 28 percent of Gen Z.
Search has long been the high-intent moment when buyers actively compare options. As engines answer more of those questions directly, brands have fewer chances to enter the consideration set after the answer is shown.
Your website is only one part of the answer
That is the most striking figure in the report. The information ecosystem behind AI answers is distributed across sources you do not control. The first step is to measure how visible you are across each engine.
Where AI actually gets its answers
The cited sources differ sharply by engine. Competitors' and other brands' websites carry significant weight on ChatGPT and Gemini. Retailers, review and comparison sites, and communities such as Reddit also influence answers. Source and citation analysis shows which sources shape your category.
Turning McKinsey's GEO guidance into practical work
The report calls this work generative engine optimization. Keep the site clear, structured, and accessible so important evidence can be found. Publish detailed, credible material and keep messaging consistent across the web. A technical visibility audit reveals access problems, while source and perception analysis exposes gaps in the wider narrative.
Adoption is here, but trust still lags
McKinsey finds consumers trust generative AI and social media less than other research sources. Adoption and trust are moving at different speeds. That gap rewards brands that appear accurately and credibly instead of chasing volume alone.
What it means for brands and agencies
Brands need to understand what shapes perception before the click and track it as a measurable part of the customer journey. Our solution for brands brings brand, SEO, content, and communications teams into the same view. For agencies, the shift creates a new advisory opportunity built on measurable evidence.
The bottom line
Brand equity, scale, and distribution still matter, but they do not guarantee inclusion in an AI answer. The practical task is straightforward: measure the current position, identify the most material gaps, and track whether the work changes the answer over time.
Figures are from McKinsey's State of the Consumer 2026 report, published in June 2026 and based on a survey of 4,863 consumers across Brazil, France, Germany, the UK, and the US, plus an analysis of large language model citations.