Australian Shoppers Turn Sceptical As AI Slop Threatens Brand Trust

Australia may lead the world in AI adoption, but a new report from marketing platform Klaviyo reveals the country has also cultivated one of the most sceptical consumer bases on the planet when it comes to AI-generated brand content.

The research, released this week, finds that while 85 per cent of Australians have used AI tools for shopping in the past three months, 39 per cent say AI-generated marketing content actively makes them trust a brand less.

The culprit, according to Klaviyo, is “AI slop” – a term used to describe low-quality, mass-produced automated content. Some 40 per cent of Australian consumers report spotting this kind of content in their social media feeds and replies multiple times a week.

The timing of the report is notable. “AI slop” entered the Macquarie Dictionary as its 2025 word of the year just three months ago, and the Federal Government recently reaffirmed its National AI Plan, which includes the launch of a $30 million AI Safety Institute in 2026. Public concern over deepfakes and content farms has been growing steadily alongside those policy announcements.

Marcus Rossato, Head of Marketing APJ at Klaviyo, told reporters the relationship between Australian consumers and AI-driven brand communications has reached a turning point.

“The honeymoon phase with AI is officially over for Australian shoppers,” Rossato said. “While these consumers lead the world in AI adoption, they have one of the highest bars for authenticity. For younger audiences and daily users, generic AI content isn’t just ineffective – it actively damages brand equity.”

Adoption Rates Outpace Global Peers

Australia and the broader APAC region are ahead of comparable markets on AI usage. Thirty per cent of Australian consumers now use AI tools several times a week, compared to 26 per cent in the United States and 27 per cent in Europe.

That high adoption rate appears to have sharpened consumer instincts rather than softened them. Frequent exposure to AI tools has made Australian shoppers more attuned to quality gaps, and less forgiving when brands fall short.

Four Types Of AI Shoppers

The Klaviyo research segments Australian consumers into four distinct personas based on how they interact with AI in a shopping context.

The first group, described as AI Enthusiasts, are power users. Eighty-five per cent have used AI while shopping in the past six months, but the report notes they are also the most sensitive to quality failures.

AI Sceptics understand the technology but remain wary of how brands deploy it. Forty-eight per cent cite customer service chats that don’t feel human as their most undesirable AI experience, while 39 per cent say AI-generated marketing reduces their trust in a brand.

AI Evaluators use AI primarily for research rather than transactions. Thirty-eight per cent use it to discover new products, but prefer to make the final purchase decision themselves.

AI Holdouts largely reject AI in commerce altogether. Seventy-eight per cent say they trust brands less when they see AI-generated content, and 75 per cent report never having found AI helpful in any area of their lives.

Customer Service Chats A Key Flashpoint

Across all four groups, one finding holds consistent: misaligned AI experiences erode trust. Half of all Australians surveyed identified customer service chats that don’t feel human as the most undesirably automated experience a brand can deliver.

One in five respondents also said poorly personalised content makes them less likely to open future messages from a brand – a direct commercial risk for marketers relying on automated outreach at scale.

Rossato argued that the data points to a fundamental strategic shift brands need to make in how they think about AI.

“What our data shows is that brands must move beyond using AI for mere efficiency and toward using it for emotion,” he said. “The opportunity for brands in 2026 is not to scale content faster, but to scale value. Whether it’s the enthusiast who demands perfection or the sceptic hunting for a human touch, generic AI is now a brand killer.”

The full Klaviyo AI Consumer Trends Report, including Australian-specific data, is available via the company’s website.

Last Updated on March 12, 2026 by Nick Ross