The Intelligence Shift: What AI Means for Consumers and Brands

AI is no longer a differentiator. It is the context in which all brands now compete.

The real advantage comes from Return on Intelligence: combining human expertise with AI to drive smarter, commercially impactful decisions. Prepared in partnership with Microsoft, our Future Trends Report features expert insights from Croud, Born Social, and Microsoft, and answers these key questions for marketing leaders today:

• How is consumer behaviour shifting in an AI- and LLM-driven world?
• What does a new era of discovery mean for brand, performance, and creativity?
• How should measurement evolve to prove commercial return in increasingly intelligent ecosystems?

Drawing on the most recent edition of the Croud Consumer Index, which focuses on consumer behaviour during 'acceleration moments' like Black Friday and Christmas, the report highlights key insights and practical recommendations to help brands win in the AI era.