Research · Updated October 2026
How AI changed marketing in 2026. Twenty numbers, all sourced.
AI search, marketing teams, New Zealand businesses, UX and social commerce. We checked every figure in October 2026, and each card links to the research it comes from.
- AI search
1B people use ChatGPT every week, as of August 2026.
For a lot of buyers, a chatbot is now the first place they ask, before Google or your website.
- AI search
1B+ monthly users on Google’s AI Mode, less than a year after it launched worldwide.
Google’s own AI answers now reach as many people as ChatGPT does.
- AI search
48% of tracked Google searches show an AI Overview, up from about 31% a year earlier.
Close to half of searches now open with an AI summary above the first link.
- AI search
68% of US Google searches ended without a click from January to April 2026.
Fewer than one search in three now sends anyone to a website.
- AI search
8% of Google visits with an AI summary led to a click on a normal result. Without a summary it was 15%.
When the summary answers the question, most people stop reading there.
Source: Pew Research Center, July 2025
- AI search
4.4x the value of an AI search visitor compared with a regular organic visitor, measured by conversion rate.
AI tools send fewer visitors, and the ones who arrive are closer to buying.
- AI search
14% of marketers track how often AI tools cite their brand. 65% say AI search is their biggest challenge.
Most teams still can’t see whether ChatGPT or Google’s AI mentions them at all.
Source: GoodFirms survey, April 2026
- AI at work
86% of marketing teams use AI in at least part of their work.
Only 1.7% neither use AI nor plan to.
- AI at work
2 in 3 marketers say AI saves their team 10 or more hours a week.
About a third save more than 15 hours a week.
Source: HubSpot 2026 State of Marketing
- AI at work
15.3% of the average marketing budget now goes to AI. Only 30% of CMOs say they’re ready to scale it.
The money is moving faster than the skills to use it.
- New Zealand
91% of New Zealand businesses use AI, but only 4% use it to change how their core operations run.
Up from 66% in 2024. Nearly everyone has started, and very few have gone deep.
- New Zealand
66% of New Zealand businesses gave their people AI training in the past year, up 10 points.
Strategy is behind: just 16% have a clearly defined AI strategy.
- UX and design
91% of designers say new AI tools improve their designs.
From a survey of 906 digital designers across five regions.
Source: Figma State of the Designer 2026
- UX and design
41% of designers now take part in development work, up from 21% a year earlier.
Developers are moving the other way too: 60% now take part in design.
- UX and design
70% of online shopping carts are left before the order is placed.
The average of 50 separate studies: 70.22%.
Source: Baymard Institute, Sept 2025
- UX and design
35% higher conversion is within reach for a large online store by fixing checkout design alone.
Good UX shows up in sales you can measure.
Source: Baymard Institute, Sept 2025
- Creators
$37B in US creator advertising in 2025 (US dollars), up 26% on the year before.
About four times faster than media spend overall. IAB expects $44B in 2026.
- Creators
86% of consumers buy something because of an influencer at least once a year.
Half of influencers charge between US$250 and US$1,000 a post.
- Commerce
$23.4B forecast US sales for TikTok Shop in 2026 (US dollars), ahead of Target’s online store at $21.9B.
Social apps are now a place where people find and buy products.
Source: EMARKETER, Aug 2026
- Commerce
$15T of B2B spending will go through AI buying agents by 2028 (US dollars).
Gartner expects agents to handle 90% of B2B purchases. Your site has to make sense to software as well as people.
Want your team ready for this? The 11-week search marketing certification covers SEO, Google Ads and AI search visibility. Short on time? Start with a one-day digital marketing masterclass, or design better checkouts with the UX product design certification.
Figures checked on 16 October 2026. They are worldwide or US data unless the card says New Zealand, and dollar amounts are US dollars. Compiled by the Institute of Digital Marketing New Zealand (IDNZ). Free to reuse with a credit and link to id.ac.nz (CC BY 4.0).
The difference between UX Designer and a Product Designer?
When it comes to designing digital products, there are many different roles involved in the process. Two of the most common are UX designers and product designers. While these roles share some similarities, there are also key differences that set them apart.
UX designers, or user experience designers, are primarily focused on creating products that are easy and intuitive to use. They are responsible for understanding the needs and goals of users, and then designing interfaces tUX designers hat meet those needs. This involves conducting research, creating user personas, and prototyping and testing designs to ensure they are effective.
Product designers, on the other hand, are responsible for the overall look and feel of a product. They are focused on creating a cohesive visual style that aligns with the brand and meets the needs of users. This involves creating wireframes and mockups, as well as working closely with developers to ensure that the final product looks and functions as intended.
While there is some overlap between these roles, the key difference lies in their focus. UX designers are primarily concerned with usability, while product designers are focused on aesthetics and branding. In some cases, one person may fill both roles, but in larger organizations, they are typically separate positions.
Ultimately, both UX designers and product designers play important roles in creating successful digital products. By working together and leveraging their unique skill sets, they can create products that are both visually appealing and easy to use.
10 Reasons Why Professional Digital Marketing is Important and Can't be Negated in the World of Business Today
In today's digital age, businesses cannot afford to ignore the importance of professional digital marketing. From increased online visibility to higher conversion rates, digital marketing offers a wide range of benefits that can help your business succeed. At The Institute of Digital Marketing New Zealand, we offer comprehensive digital marketing courses that can equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to stay ahead of the game. Discover the top 10 reasons why professional digital marketing is crucial for your business today and take the first step towards achieving your online goals.
Learn what you will earn upon course completion
-
![A man and woman in professional attire giving each other a high five in a bright office, with a laptop, papers, and coffee mugs on the desk, celebrating success or achieving a goal.]()
Small Business Owner
You are a solution provider for your business. You define the product or service, planning the promotion, production, sales and budgeting for the business with the aim of making profit. You want to grow your business via digital platforms.
Salary & Profit: The sky is your limit!
-
![A diverse group of six people is sitting around a conference table in a modern office, smiling during a meeting, with laptops in front of them.]()
Digital Marketing Specialist
You will be creating detailed paid media strategies/plans for search, display, video, and social platforms, finding real insights from data for client's customers and their behaviour.
$80,000 - $109,999 p.a. + commission -
![Two men look at a board filled with printed photos and sketches of a yellow scooter and other related designs.]()
Digital Content Producer
You will create exceptional and innovative content and partnerships opportunities, work with all agency stakeholders and suppliers to create a media lead solution and production plan.
$65,000 - $89,999 p.a. -
![A group of people working in a modern glass-walled conference room at night, with a hallway visible outside.]()
Digital Campaign Manager
You will lead the automated user engagement activity across digital channels, growing the database, email automation, set-up, scheduling and testing of recurring and dynamic campaigns.
$80,000 - $89,999 p.a.
-
![Office workspace with several employees working at desks with computer monitors, a leather sofa with a potted plant on a side table, large windows, and modern lighting.]()
SEM Specialist
You are confident with developing new SEO strategies, roadmaps and timelines for new clients, responsible of clients' SEO results and have a growth plan in action.
$70,000 to $90,000 p.a.
-
![Woman leaning over a white desk in a bright office with a large computer monitor, potted plant, and a city view through large windows.]()
Social Media Specialist
You are confident to deliver consistent, brand aligned marketing focused experience across all digital and social marketing touch points, optimising social engagement and ROI.
$65,000 - $89,000 p.a.
-
![Man talking on phone while looking at an iMac computer displaying a cryptocurrency chart in a home office.]()
Digital & eCommerce Specialist
You’ll focus on digital & e-commerce site conversions, identify how the e-commerce user journey can be optimised and improved through SEO, CRO strategy, website user data, and landing pages, then project manage this work.
$85,000 - $100,000 p.a.
-
![Man smiling during a meeting with colleagues in a modern office conference room.]()
Agile CX Designer & Researcher
You are confident in bringing human centred design skills and critical thinking to support and define the customer experience., develop and implement strategies to enhance best practice customer outcomes for business.
$75,000.00 - $150,000.00 p.a. subject to experience
-
![A man with glasses and a beard sketching drawings on paper at a desk in an office or studio.]()
Agile UX Designer & Researcher
You will drive customer centric design principles and agile ways of working, identify customer problems and opportunities and design intuitive, seamless, delightful solutions, with user research, testing during a life cycle of a project.
$75,000 - $150,000 p.a. subject to experience
