AI's role broadening within society

Chinese consumers have shown great enthusiasm toward artificial intelligence technology as the swift spread of AI is reshaping both lifestyles and relationships, largely by removing barriers to accessing information, according to a report from global consultancy Accenture.

The surge of interest in DeepSeek since its founding in 2023 has marked a turning point for AI's rapid integration into everyday life. The report said 77 percent of consumers use AI tools frequently -weekly or daily — and even among those born in the 1960s, usage is high at 57 percent.

In the past, major decisions such as buying a car, purchasing insurance or planning a trip to an unfamiliar destination required hours of research and preparation. Now, AI tools allow consumers to rapidly build knowledge and form decisions, giving people the confidence to explore entirely new domains.

When exploring new solutions or looking for ways to improve their lives, 57 percent of consumers now turn to AI tools — a share that already surpasses all video-sharing and e-commerce platforms, and far exceeds reliance on family and friends (35 percent), the report said.

It noted that among users of AI tools, 65 percent of respondents view AI as an adviser and use AI to quickly understand unfamiliar topics or support decisionmaking, while 63 percent of those polled see AI as an assistant to improve work efficiency, and 46 percent regard it as a partner.

Moreover, 36 percent of interviewees consider it a friend that helps them relieve emotional stress. This demonstrates that AI's role is evolving from a purely informational aid into a companion that also provides emotional support.

The research surveyed 5,000 consumers aged 18 to 65 nationwide between mid-August and early September.

With the rapid spread of AI, the dynamics of brand-consumer interactions are being fundamentally reshaped. AI has become both a source of inspiration and a decisionmaking assistant for consumers, influencing how they perceive and prefer brands. In the future, AI may even act directly on behalf of consumers to facilitate purchasing behavior, the report said.

For this reason, brands must prepare on two fronts: they need to deliver unique experiences and value in direct interactions with consumers, while also ensuring visibility and differentiation in AI-mediated interactions, where algorithms may serve as proxies for consumer decisionmaking.

AI has already transformed the consumer landscape and will have profound implications in the years to come, while brands should harness AI for faster insights and deeper connections.

Accenture said that to bridge the brand-consumer trust gap, brands need to adopt responsible AI practices and strengthen cybersecurity, while focusing on data protection and transparency around how AI-powered interactions are shaped.

Internally, AI is injecting new efficiency and creativity into brand operations. Through AI enablement, brands can not only "see" consumers more clearly, but also provide services with greater speed, precision and personalization.

"AI is deeply reshaping the decisionmaking process and operational efficiency in the retail field. Consumers can select products using AI-enabled search tools, while AI helps merchants lower costs and improve efficiency in terms of product design, marketing and customer services," said Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Hong said China's consumption market is gradually shifting toward an innovation-driven growth stage fueled by the accelerated application of AI-powered intelligent recommendations, customer services and virtual shopping guides.

Nurturing an AI-driven new consumption model is pivotal to expanding domestic demand, boosting consumption and promoting high-quality economic growth, he said, adding that AI has the potential to change the way people shop by providing interactive consumer experiences and propelling the digital transformation of traditional retailers.

Pan Helin, a member of the Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy — which is part of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology — said the rapid adoption of digital technologies represented by AI will inject fresh impetus into the country's economic growth and speed up the digital and intelligent upgrade of traditional industries.

Pan said AI technology is increasingly perceived as a key driver to build resilient supply chains, help companies adapt more quickly to sudden changes and take data-driven and real-time actions.