Accenture's Life Trends 2025 report surveyed consumers across 22 markets and spotlights 5 key trends. One that caught our eye? Cost of hesitations. And this stat in particular: 62% of consumers now say trust is an important factor when choosing to engage with a brand, up from 56% in 2023.
In 2024, consumer trust was put to the test as AI-generated content flooded feeds. Concerns over algorithmic bias, copyright, deepfakes and privacy rose, leaving 59.9% of consumers doubting online authenticity. Platforms that were formerly discovery-friendly spaces became oversaturated with AI-generated content, leaving consumers more wary than ever.
📉 A closer look: 38% of consumers encountered fake product reviews in 2024, while 52.8% regularly question the authenticity of reviews they read. But the problem is bigger than reviews — everything from product visuals to brand identities (Austin's viral restaurant Ethos doesn't actually exist; all the images on its Instagram feed are AI generated 🥐🦛) are under a microscope. Heading into 2025, how can brands rebuild trust and show AI delivers real value, not just quick ROI?
