Core Insights - The report highlights the transformation of consumer decision-making due to AI, emphasizing the emergence of the "Smart Choice Consumer" group, primarily aged 20-39, who are practical, efficient, and willing to invest time in AI-assisted decision-making [1][6][12] - AI is evolving from a mere tool to a core entry point for consumer decisions, significantly impacting shopping behaviors and brand strategies [1][6][12] Group 1: AI's Impact on Consumer Behavior - AI has become a central part of the shopping process, with 46% of users reporting increased shopping time using AI, and nearly 60% reducing time spent searching for information on social media [1][21][28] - The primary categories of products purchased through AI are durable goods (60%) and professional services (41%), with AI playing a crucial role in complex decision-making scenarios [1][10][21] - Users are increasingly relying on AI for parameter comparison (71%) and extracting selling points (55%), indicating a shift in how consumers approach product selection [1][10][21] Group 2: Characteristics of Smart Choice Consumers - The report identifies high-spending consumers (monthly spending over 5000 yuan) as the main contributors to AI shopping, spending approximately 4.5 hours weekly on AI shopping, compared to only 2.2 hours for those aged 40-49 [1][21][22] - High-spending users are more inclined to invest time in understanding recommendations and verifying information, while lower-spending users prioritize efficiency and quick decision-making [1][27][28] - The report notes that 46% of users have increased their AI shopping time compared to the previous year, indicating a growing reliance on AI for shopping decisions [1][28][30] Group 3: The Role of AI in the Shopping Process - AI plays three critical roles throughout the shopping cycle: initiating demand (25% of users' shopping ideas originate from AI recommendations), facilitating comparison and selection (45% of users engage with AI during this phase), and providing a "second opinion" during the decision-making stage [1][10][21] - The report emphasizes the need for brands to enhance their visibility on AI platforms, suggesting strategies such as transitioning to high-frequency authoritative channels and producing structured professional content [1][10][21] - The Generforce system by Percent Technology is highlighted as a tool to help brands simulate user inquiries, quantify AI metrics, and develop content strategies, thereby creating a closed-loop of "insight-decision-action" in the smart choice era [1][10][21]