AI is rewiring the digital economy in real time, forcing marketers to decode new consumer behaviours and rethink their playbooks. Retail Media looks to be set for a particularly turbulent time, increasingly so in light of OpenAI’s ad tier announcement.
To understand which industries are most exposed to disruption from consumer-facing large language models and AI assistants, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Moloco – a AI performance advertising platform – have developed the Consumer AI Disruption Index. Entitled Battle for the Interface: Introducing the Consumer AI Disruption Index, the joint report assesses 17 consumer-facing verticals in terms of their vulnerability to AI-driven disruption. In the survey of top marketing leaders, 67 percent say they expect major disruption to the consumer journey, and nearly all are bracing for meaningful shifts ahead.
“AI is fundamentally reshaping how consumers interact with brands,” explains Giorgo Paizanis, a BCG partner and co-author of the report. “Our research shows that to win, marketers must build defensibility on three fronts: discovery, service, and customer relationships. Those who move early can turn this disruption into a durable advantage, recasting AI from a threat into a new channel for growth.”
The Consumer AI Disruption Index is a qualitative and quantitative study that maps 17 consumer-facing verticals along two axes: risk of AI-driven disruption and strength of customer relationships.
It reveals four archetypes of readiness:
- Breached (for example, travel, retail, and news): These verticals face high disruption risk as AI compresses discovery and comparison. Their survival depends on strengthening customer relationships and embedding AI within their own platforms.
- Undefended (for example, gaming, dating, and GenAI): These verticals face moderate disruption but have weak brand ties. Their challenge is to convert transactional relationships into durable loyalty through personalisation and AI partnerships.
- Secured (for example, fintech, financial services, and media/streaming): These verticals are at lowest risk for disruption, with inherent trust and regulatory moats. Their opportunity lies in using AI to drive efficiency and hyperpersonalised engagement.
- Contested (for example, productivity): These verticals combine strong customer equity with some exposure to service disruption risk, putting them in a strong position to define how AI integrates into their verticals.
“As consumers move from the world of search to the world of answers, we’re seeing a behavioural shift that risks disrupting digital brands across a broad range of industries,” says Paul D’Arcy, Moloco chief marketing officer and a co-author of the report. “The companies that will thrive in this new age of AI will focus on longer-term customer relationships, owned digital surfaces like apps, and strategies that strengthen brand and loyalty.”
