Dentsu launched its latest Consumer Vision report, Mothers of Reinvention, a global study examining the shifts set to reshape technology, culture, consumers and brands over the next five to 10 years.
The report is the third edition of Dentsu’s Consumer Vision series, following The Age of Inclusive Intelligence, published in 2021, and The Era of the Insight-to-Foresight Pivot, published in 2024.
Dentsu said the study was based on a survey of 30,000 consumers across 25 countries and included insights from 20 experts and futurists working in fields such as cultural sociology, AI law, and consumer psychology.
The company said the report was designed to provide marketers with a strategic framework for understanding how exposure to artificial intelligence, changing expectations around originality and trust, and evolving ideas of identity and progress are reshaping consumer expectations.
Saudi consumers rank above global averages
According to the findings, consumers in Saudi Arabia ranked above global averages across major indicators linked to AI, reinvention, and the evolving role of brands.
Dentsu attributed the trend to the kingdom’s young and digitally connected population and growing appetite for technology-enabled self-development and experimentation.
The report found that 85% of consumers in Saudi Arabia were interested in using AI to simulate life changes before committing to them, compared with 73% globally.
Meanwhile, 96% of Saudi consumers, compared with 87% globally, said brands that help them grow would be the most memorable.
The study also showed that 94% of Saudi consumers said the most significant purchases were those that unlock their potential, compared with 81% globally.
In addition, 91% said they expected brands to develop products and services tailored to their AI agents, compared with 77% globally.
Dentsu outlines four forces shaping consumer behavior
The report identified four major forces that brands should prepare for as consumer behavior evolves.
The first, “Symbiotic Systems,” focused on the future of technology, with Dentsu saying AI was moving from a tool to a partner as consumers increasingly rely on agents acting on their behalf.
The company said this shift created a new dynamic in which brands would need to engage not only with consumers directly, but also with the AI agents representing them across media spaces.
The second force, “Ingenuity Awakened,” examined the future of culture and the growing value placed on originality as AI accelerates content creation.
Dentsu said consumers increasingly expected brands to support and reward human creativity.
The third force, “Infinite Reinvention,” focused on changing consumer behavior, with the report saying consumers were shifting from need-based purchasing toward purchases tied to who they wanted to become.
The study said consumers were increasingly using AI and new tools to test new identities, behaviors and lifestyles while continuing to seek human connection through entertainment and cultural experiences.
The fourth force, “Wayfinder Brands,” examined the future role of brands.
Dentsu said the most effective brands would not simply respond to demand but would instead act as guides, helping consumers navigate change and unlock new possibilities.
Consumers show lower tolerance for generic messaging
Taken together, the findings pointed to what Dentsu described as a more demanding environment for brands.
The company said that as functional interactions become increasingly automated, distinctiveness would be driven less by convenience and more by meaning.
According to the report, 78% of consumers already showed lower tolerance for generic messaging.
Alex Jena, chief strategy officer at dentsu MENAT, said consumers continued to show skepticism toward AI, particularly around trust, originality and human judgment.
“But what this research shows is that consumers are already starting to integrate AI into everyday decision-making and creativity,” Jena said in a statement.
He said consumers were using AI for instant evaluation and second opinions, visualizing “what if” scenarios before making decisions, and generating ideas and creative outputs that previously required specialist skills.
Saudi market sees rising demand for personalized experiences
Ahmad Haider, managing director at dentsu KSA, said expectations around seamless, personalized and connected experiences were rising rapidly, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
“Understanding how consumer behaviors, expectations and decision-making are evolving helps us to shape more effective strategies and optimize the right plans across media, creative and customer experience for the Saudi consumers already reshaping categories across the Kingdom,” Haider said.
Dentsu said the report highlighted the need for brands to adapt to changing consumer expectations as AI increasingly shapes how people make decisions, engage with content and interact with companies.
