Google has ceded its power for initial product discovery to a trio of social search platforms: YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
By Hadi Khatib
Three in 10 Gen Zs globally seek stylish inspiration on social media, 11 percent more on average than any other generation, as per Archrival’s data, a US independent creative agency specializing in youth culture. As for where on social media do they learn about new brands, products and experiences, YouTube for them is tops, followed by TikTok, then Instagram.
While this might be the case in the US, and particularly for fashion tastes, it does paint a picture of how new generations, Gen Zs and Alphas, seek fulfillment when shopping online.
One thing is for sure. The Boomer, Millennial and X-generations who navigated their digital journeys between analog and digital and later found a home in Google search are also on the cusp of transitioning to LLMs and even social media sites to look for preferred brands, in addition to safe options on platforms like retail media networks (RMNs).
Navigating the post-Google era
For an eternity, it seems, the “search bar” was synonymous with Google. “Google it”, we would say, any time anyone had any question about anything. However, starting 2025, especially with the proliferations of LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and others, Google shifted to being a secondary tool for verification and utility, i.e., for checking if something is true, and for finding links, locations and documents.
According to a December 2025 Google/Ipsos survey, 83 percent of global consumers still interact with Google, not for static viewing or finding a brand’s website, but rather for ‘dynamic exploration using AI-driven technologies designed for real-time engagement. Google DeepMind, for instance, is developing a series of these interactive AI image generation app with Genie3. It’s as if Google is signaling its plans not to fade into the sunset.
For FMCG consumers, the search bar is being replaced by conversational canvases. In 2026, consumers are using tools like Gemini’s “Nano Banana” mode to combine text and images—such as a photo of a half-empty pantry—to generate grocery lists and recipe ideas instantly.
January 2026 research from UnboundB2B, a company helping organizations generate qualified leads, suggests that brand visibility happens when an AI system selects a product as a “credible source” using curated responses rather than where it ranks on a page. For retail sectors, if AI can’t crawl your product, it might as well not exist for the modern searcher.
The risk for FMCG and CPG brands is not ranking lower, but disappearing entirely. To stay visible, brands need machine-readable product data including clear attributes, structured ingredient lists and claims backed by clinical evidence,” Sue Azari, eCommerce Industry Consultant at AppsFlyer, said.
“Content strategy also needs to evolve. Expanding blog content to capture long-tail prompts and securing placement in trusted ‘best of’ product lists will become critical. Analyzing prompt volume gives brands a direct window into what consumers are asking AI tools. In the AI commerce era, if your product data is not structured for LLMs, your brand risks becoming invisible,” Azari continued.
Digital shelf algorithms
The digital shelf where FMCG distributors keep their stock of branded items is no longer a destination. It has transformed into a conversation, a curated algorithmic feed.
This means retail brands in the FMCG and CPG sectors are forced to move beyond keywords and into the realm of “Generative Engine Optimization” (GEO) and community-driven social commerce, where consumers expect AI to understand what they mean, not just what they type, and page ranking is already near obsolete. The shift is from a traditional search engine optimization (SEO) for results rankings to an AI-assisted Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), ensuring your brand becomes the authoritative answer to consumer queries.
Of course, influencers remain the ultimate search filter for pushing brands’ shelf products. According to Sprout Social, around 70 percent of consumers trust influencer recommendations over traditional ads.
Brands are also ensuring creators don’t just show a product, but demonstrate its fairness, relevance, and worth.
The three-headed roster
Google has ceded its power for initial discovery to a trio of social search platforms: YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Collectively, they account for over 60 percent of product discovery, surpassing Google’s 34.5 percent share for initial research, according to a February 2026 report by Sprout Social, a comprehensive US social media management and intelligence platform.
It said that around 52 percent of Gen Z trust product information found on social media more than information from Google or AI chatbots. They aren’t looking for the best laundry detergent but rather for ‘satisfying cleaning videos’, where the product is discovered contextually.
YouTube, meanwhile, serves as a primary “how-to” engine where FMCG and CPG products are vetted.
A phygital path to purchase
Stick a fork in the archaic linear consumer funnel. It’s done! Extinct. Say hello to a new path to purchase based on inspiration, exploration, and immediate fulfillment.
The Gen Z generation is mostly “brand agnostic” but ‘value-conscious’, says Dentsu’s Gen Z consumer behavior in a 2026 report. Affordability could be the value, forcing brands to adopt a ‘phygital’ strategy that allow young consumers to experience products’ value. Gen Zs will perform digital searches while standing in the physical aisle to compare prices or check TikTok reviews. This is where LLMs and Agentic AI come in.
Mohamed Itani, CEO of United Foods Company said: “Gen Z shoppers move fluidly between online and offline, often researching on their phones while in-store. In the GCC, where most shoppers are digitally connected at the shelf, the physical store is no longer the starting point but the moment of decision. Retailers can support this behavior by enabling in-aisle discovery through product information, reviews and comparisons, while still driving impulse purchases through strong merchandising, promotions and store layout.”
Sonal Chiber, a Senior strategic communications consultant, added: “Smart shelves, QR-activated product stories, and mobile-first loyalty integrations can support agentic shopping while enhancing the in-store journey. The key is blending data-driven convenience with sensory retail experiences that encourage exploration, surprise and impulse purchases, ensuring physical stores remain engaging and commercially effective.”
Recognize, advise and act
By 2026, nearly 37 percent of customer interactions are expected to be ‘zero-click’, where the consumer gets the recommendation and summary directly from AI without setting foot into the brand’s website, according to the Braze 2026 Customer Engagement Review (CER) and supporting forecasts from Gartner.
An LLM may suggest a product but an Agentic AI will execute the task based on consumers’ set budgets, purchase calendars, and interaction with brands’ APIs.
“Agentic AI may execute the purchase, but humans still shape the preference. Emotional storytelling, cultural relevance and community still matter because they influence the preferences consumers set for AI tools. This means brand love does not disappear; it simply shifts earlier in the journey. The real winners will be brands that do two things well: build emotional loyalty with people and operational trust with the algorithms shaping discovery,” Azari said.
These buying agents relieve young consumers from the hassles of shopping. Instead of browsing multiple sites, a Gen Z user instructs their agents to locate specific information about products they plan on buying. The Agent follows that with actions like comparing shipping times, reading return policies, and using promo codes.
Bassem Yousri, Head of Agency Department, Yango Ads MEA, said: “Agentic AI may optimize the purchase moment, but it does not replace the human preference behind it. Consumers still build emotional connections with brands long before an AI agent completes the transaction. Studies show that 70 percent of consumers have interacted with AI-driven product recommendations, highlighting how algorithms are already shaping purchase journeys.”
“For CMOs in the region, the focus should shift to influencing the signals that AI systems learn from: brand searches, engagement, and consistent digital presence. When consumers repeatedly interact with and trust a brand, those signals feed into the algorithms that power agentic commerce. The machine may execute the purchase, but human affinity still drives the choice,” Yousri added.
For brands to survive this Agentic AI era, they are moving away from traditional SEO, towards AEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).
“FMCG and CPG brands in the Middle East must move beyond traditional SEO and focus on structured, machine-readable data ecosystems. This means investing in product knowledge graphs, consistent metadata, and API ready content that AI systems can easily interpret and surface. Brands that prioritize authoritative content, transparent product information, and real-time data feeds will remain visible within AI-driven recommendation environments,” Chiber advised.
