Consumer Habits Are Rapidly Changing-45% Trust AI, 51% Use Social Media, 28% Use Voice Search

45%

Research by Yext reveals shifting search habits: 45% of customers trust AI tools for brand info, 51% use social media, and 28% rely on voice assistants. While 64% of users still start with traditional search engines, they now average three channels per search, with 71% of Gen Z users using Instagram and 66% using TikTok. Over half (56%) are frustrated by outdated brand details, and 64% would consider other brands if the information is inaccurate. Brands must adapt to AI-driven discovery, ensuring data accuracy across all platforms to maintain trust and conversions.

17%

Pinterest’s Q2 2025 revenue rose 17% to $998M, with global monthly active users up 11% to 578M, driven by AI-powered visual search and personalization. Pinterest’s new generative retrieval model boosted search fulfillment by 230 basis points, transforming the platform into an AI-powered shopping assistant. Over 50% of its users are now Gen Z, though engagement is rising across all age groups. CEO Bill Ready says AI has propelled Pinterest to the forefront of product discovery during a “Cambrian moment” for artificial intelligence.

22%

Funko’s Q2 net sales fell 22% to $193.5 M, with a $41M loss versus $5.4M profit last year, driven by tariff-related disruptions and paused China orders. The company announced a $40M equity offering, cut its workforce by 20%, and accelerated production shifts out of China. Discussions have begun to restructure the debt before its September 2026 maturity date. Management expects improved performance in H2 as cost cuts, sourcing diversification, and price adjustments take effect.

$47.52B

AI is fueling strong digital ad growth, with Meta’s Q2 sales up 22% to $47.52B and Alphabet beating forecasts while boosting 2025 capex to $85B. Meta expects healthy ad demand ahead as Asian e-commerce spend rebounds. Reddit’s Q2 sales jumped 78% to $500M, lifting shares 20%, while Snap grew just 9% and Pinterest missed expectations amid tariff concerns. Investors remain confident in heavy AI spending as core ad revenues rise.

120

Onyx Partners has agreed to acquire 119 J.C. Penney locations for $947 million in cash, with each property valued at an average of $8 million. The deal, announced by Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust, is set to close by Sept. 8, ahead of a January deadline. The price per store is at least $2M lower than earlier sales due to urgency, with J.C. Penney remaining the sole tenant under leases of up to 45 years. So far, over 40 properties have already been sold to other buyers.

55%

Pew Research found that users shown Google’s AI Overviews were twice as likely to click links compared to those without them. Organic search traffic for publishers has dropped up to 55% since 2022, with major outlets like HuffPost and NYT seeing steep declines. Google still earned $96.4B in Q4 2024, with $54.2B from ads, as more advertising is placed within AI summaries. The shift is squeezing publishers’ ad revenue and reshaping SEO.

27%

Foxconn posted NT$44.36B Q2 net profit, beating estimates of NT$38.81B, with revenue up 16% to NT$1.79T. AI server sales surged to 41% of revenue, overtaking consumer electronics at 35%. The company projects 170%+ YoY growth in AI server revenue this quarter and plans a $1B U.S. investment despite potential U.S. tariffs of up to 100% on semiconductors.