What: A Harris Poll survey for Quad of 2,004 US adults finds that 75% say AI-generated content makes online shopping harder to trust, and that consumers reward brands showing visible human effort in packaging, print and store design.

Why it is important: The 81% of US adults who trust brands more when they are clear about what is AI-generated is consumer evidence in the EU debate over whether retail AI advertising should carry disclosure, an argument in which retailers have so far pushed for exemptions.

New Harris Poll research for Quad, a survey of 2,004 US adults, finds consumers drained by screens and wary of AI are rewarding brands that show visible human effort. Three-quarters (75%) say AI-generated content has made it harder to trust what they see when shopping online, and the same share say much of what brands show feels overly polished or artificial. Gen Z is most affected: 49% say social media scrolling leaves them drained, versus 36% of Americans overall.

Physical details now serve as proof of care: 84% trust a brand more when it attends to packaging, textures and finishes, 64% would pay a premium for human-designed or handcrafted products, and 73% say mail, print or catalogs could prompt them to look up a brand. A store's design alone would convince 63% to visit.

Acceptance of AI depends on the task. Humans are preferred in every shopping interaction measured, most strongly in customer service (66%), while online checkout is closer (40% prefer humans, 30% AI). 81% trust brands more when they are clear about what is AI-generated. Quad, which commissioned the study, is also a major commercial printer, and the Gen Z subsample is 134 respondents.

IADS Notes: The findings add consumer-side data to a debate that has so far played out mostly among marketers and regulators. Harvard Business Review reported in September 2026 that AI-generated video ads trailed human-made ones on sales potential and brand equity even though consumers could not tell them apart, with AI holding up best on conventional, product-driven briefs. On disclosure, Reuters reported in June 2026 that Eurocommerce asked the EU to exempt non-misleading AI-generated retail ads from AI Act transparency rules, arguing that broad labelling would dilute more important warnings. The Harris Poll data points the other way, with 81% of US adults saying they trust brands more when they are clear about what is AI-generated. The link between trust and what is at stake also runs through The Robin Report's June 2026 analysis, which described AI-driven dynamic pricing as eroding shopper trust and drawing regulatory scrutiny, including New York's disclosure law. On the generational side, Futurism noted in April 2026 that Gen Z's selective scepticism toward AI centres on authenticity and transparency, while the Financial Times reported in April 2026 that younger shoppers are driving demand for immersive, in-person store experiences.

AI fatigue turns the human touch into an advantage