The AI Disruption Index: How AI Is Reshaping Consumer Discovery

The AI

Disruption Index
Report by

The biggest shifts in AI today aren’t technological, Consumer behavior is shifting faster than
marketing budgets have been able to follow,
and this will only continue to accelerate.

New research on AI/LLM disruption1, done

in partnership with BCG, dives deep into these behavioral shifts, the , and where we go from here.
they’re behavioral.

current state of play

for marketers
1 Here AI/LLM refers to generative AI chatbots, assistants, and agents, which we’ll refer to as “AI” throughout the report for simplicity’s sake.

We uncovered new insights on AI disruption, vertical
strengths and opportunities, and the new customer
journey, starting with inspiration.

In partnership with BCG, we surveyed 283 marketing
leaders across 15 verticals and 5 regions, interviewed 15
executives from leading companies, and analyzed first-
party Moloco data from 3,000+ apps representing 200
billion downloads.

1/3
of US adults now
discover brands via
personal AI agents
Source: Cordial, “Brands Battle for Attention as AI Redefines the Funnel” conducted by Dynata, Aug 2025. 1,000 US Adults surveyed by Dynata
INspiration1discovery2consideration3Conversion4

80%
of Google searches now
end without a click when
AI Overview is present
Discovery

has been upended
consideration3Conversion4inspiration1Discovery2

47%
of consumers use
AI to research
purchases
Source: Attest, “2025 Consumer Adoption of AI Report” , July 2025. 5,000 Adults in US, UK, Canada and Australia using Attest platform
For shoppers, AI has gone from experimental to essential
Conversion4inspiration1Consideration3discovery2

feel comfortable
letting AI make
purchases for them
Source: Contentsquare/Morningstar, December 2025, n=1,300 US adults surveyed by Pollfish.
30%
inspiration1discovery2consideration3Conversion4

Understanding
disruption on the vertical level
The traditional marketer’s toolkit wasn’t built
for AI-driven consumer journeys. It’s a world
of less predictability, and more possibility. To explore the risks and opportunities for each
vertical, we quantified how exposed brands
are to AI-driven disruption, and the strength of their customer relationships.

The AI Disruption
Index
AI Disruption scores verticals on their
level of exposure to:

AI Disruption indexes verticals
from high to low based on their level of
exposure to:
Service Disruption: The risk that AI
can replace services that a brand
offers

Discovery Disruption: Consumers
going to AI for discovery rather than
using traditional channels

Customer Relationship Strength
indexes strength from high to low based
on a variety of factors including ability to
drive long-term loyalty, reliance on paid
user acquisition, and how much
customers engage on platforms like
apps (higher engagement) vs. the web
(lower).

(y-axis)
(x-axis)
Breached Contested Undefended SecuredLOWHIGH HIGH Strength of customer relationshipLOW
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gen AIGamingDating
Auto
OEMsOn-Demand
ServicesMedia &
Streaming F inancial
Services
F inTec hProductivityEducation
Aut o

Mar ketplaces Retail &

eCommerce
N ewsSocial
Risk of AI disruption Source: Moloco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 verticals, plus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
downloads.

Breached
AI disruption |
Customer relationship strength |
Breached companies need to
fundamentally rebuild the relationship
layer:
AI has already disrupted discovery as inspiration, search,
and decision-making have been compressed. There’s
high risk of service disintermediation as agentic AI can
complete booking flows, summarize information,
aggregate listings, and more.

Low customer relationship strength due to a
combination of weak loyalty, higher reliance paid traffic,
and more engagement on the web (vs. mobile app).

Build stronger customer relationships
by investing in owned services like
mobile apps, creating loyalty programs,
personalized experiences, and
community ecosystems

Make the most of first-party data and
integrate AI-like offerings to create
personalized deals, contextually
relevant product comparisons, and AI-
driven customer assistance

Find new pockets of growth and re-
engage existing users by diversifying
media spend away from disrupted
discovery channels like paid search and
programmatic display (web) to more
resilient channels like mobile apps

123 Breached Contested Undefended SecuredLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
High AI disruption and weak
customer relationships leave these
verticals highly vulnerable to being disintermediated by AI.
Breached Source: Moloco and B CG (2025) .

Undefended Breached Contested Undefended SecuredLOWLOWStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Undefended
Low AI disruption today, but weak
customer ties mean these verticals need to pivot strategies for the long term.
Build stronger customer relationships
by investing in owned services like
mobile apps, creating loyalty programs,
personalized experiences, and
community ecosystems

Make the most of first-party data and
integrate AI-like offerings to create
personalized deals, contextually
relevant product comparisons, and AI-
driven customer assistance
AI disruption |
Customer relationship strength |
Undefended companies need to build
future-proof foundations:
Moderate to Low

Low

Discovery disruption is moderate to low due to reliance
on paid channels that are most disrupted, including
search, programmatic web, and affiliate channels.
There’s a low risk of service disruption as core
functionalities can’t easily be replicated.

Low customer relationship strength is due to a
combination of weak loyalty, higher reliance on paid
traffic, and more engagement on the web (vs. mobile
app).

12 Source: Mo loco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 vertica ls, p lus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
down loads.

Contested Breached Contested Undefended SecuredLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationshipContested
High AI disruption is already reshaping
discovery here, but strong loyalty and
user intent keep these verticals durable.
Elevate existing switching costs by
integrating AI capabilities that will be
indispensable to customers.

Shape industry standards by
leveraging scale and trust to define
how AI integrates into this vertical (i.e.,
data partnerships, proprietary agents)

AI disruption |
Customer relationship strength |
Contested companies need to
High
High

AI has already disrupted discovery as inspiration, search,
and decision-making have been compressed. There’s
high risk of service disintermediation as core features
are sticky today, but AI agents are rapidly learning to
replicate workflows.

Deep reliance within daily workflows and a history of
organic acquisition signifies strong customer loyalty.

defend and
differentiate:

123 Source: Mo loco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 vertica ls, p lus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
down loads.

Secured
Reimagine customer connection with
AI-powered experiences, shifting from
generic engagement to personalized,
proactive relationships

AI disruption |
Customer relationship strength | Moderate to Low
High

Discovery disruption is moderate due to a mix of
reliance on disrupted and more resilient channels.
There’s a low risk of service disruption as core
functionalities can’t easily be replicated.

Habitual engagements, organic pull, and trust all drive
high customer loyalty.

Secured companies can accelerate their
advantage:

Breached Contested Undefended LOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Secured
Low AI disruption and strong customer
relationships combine to create resilience.
12 Source: Mo loco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 vertica ls, p lus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
down loads.

The AI Disruption
Index
Breached
Here is the full index with all the
verticals placed in their
quadrants. We’ll explore them
one by one in the following pages.
Contested Undefended SecuredLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gen AIGamingDating
On-Demand
ServicesFinancial Services
FinTechProductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravel
Aut o

Mar ketplaces Retail &

eCo mm erce
New sSocial
Auto
O EMs Source: Moloco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 verticals, plus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
downloads.

TravelExample companies in category
Travel faces one of the highest disruption
risks across all verticals, with AI collapsing
the entire journey from inspiration to
booking into single conversational flows.

With minimal customer loyalty and heavy
reliance on search channels that AI has
disrupted, OTAs risk becoming invisible
data suppliers. The industry’s web-heavy
model leaves brands without defensible
owned channels as complex travel queries
become single AI prompts.
“The rigid booking flow we’re used
to… origin, destination, dates, and
filters doesn’t have to exist in an AI
world.”

—Head of Marketing, Global Travel App
Undefended SecuredLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gen AIGaming
Media &
Streaming
F inTec hProductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducation
Aut o

Marketplaces Retail &

eCommerce
N ewsSocial Source: Moloco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 verticals, plus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
downloads.

Auto MarketplacesExample companies in category
Auto marketplaces face high disruption as
AI aggregates listings and connects buyers
directly to sellers.

With the lowest relationship strength and
heavy web dependence, pure lead-gen
models risk disintermediation. Only those
with proprietary inventory, dealer
integrations, and real-time data feeds
maintain defensibility as AI reshapes car
shopping from browsing to conversational
queries.
“Discovery for cars is very visual:
Users want to see the listings, apply
filters, and compare. AI guidance can
help, but it doesn’t replace
browsing.”

—CMO, Auto Marketplace
Undefended SecuredLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
GamingDating
Auto
OEMs
F in Tec hProductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravel
Aut o

M arketplaces Retail &

NewsExample companies in category
News faces the highest disruption risk with
AI summarizing stories in zero-click
answers. Organic traffic has already fallen
26% as AI aggregates and summarizes
content (Similarweb 2025).

With weak loyalty and overwhelming web
dependence, publishers must pivot to
investigative depth and direct reader
relationships through apps and newsletters
or risk becoming invisible content suppliers
to AI systems.
“When someone clicks from an ad
and comes to our site, they’re still
highly likely to subscribe. But if
they’ve already gotten the content
from the LLM, they might not need
more—they’re less likely to convert.”

—SVP Brand Marketing, Leading News
Publisher
Undefended SecuredLOWGamingDating
Auto
OEMsMedia &
Streaming
F in TechProductivityE ducationTravel
Aut o

Marketplaces
N ew sSocial

EducationExample companies in category
Education faces the second-highest
disruption risk as AI can deliver
personalized lessons at near-zero cost.

With moderate retention and heavy SEO
reliance, pure content platforms are
vulnerable while those with certifications
maintain some defense. The shift from
“searching to learn” to “AI teaches directly”
threatens traditional online education
models unless platforms emphasize
credentials and human validation.
“Search has historically been our
strongest channel, but we’re seeing
growing pressure as AI summaries
start showing up even above paid
results.”

—Global Head of Marketing Strategy,
Education App
Undefended SecuredLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)Media &
Streaming
F inTec hProductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravel
Aut o

Marketplaces
N ewsSocial Source: Moloco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 verticals, plus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
downloads.

Health & FitnessExample companies in category
Health and Fitness faces high disruption as
AI can generate workout plans and wellness
advice.

With moderate loyalty and a good amount
of traffic from disrupted channels, brands
must differentiate through customization,
validation, and by leveraging proprietary
data. Those emphasizing human expertise,
device integration, AI integrations, and
clinical accuracy can defend against more
generic AI content.
“App store discoverability is going to
be at risk – people may just go
straight to ChatGPT and never search
the stores.”

—CMO, Health and Fitness
Undefended SecuredLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
P roductivity
H ealth

& F itness
EducationTravel
Aut o

Retail & eCommerceExample companies in category
Retail faces high risk of disruption as
agentic commerce can enable AI to handle
shopping end-to-end.

Despite moderate loyalty, heavy exposure to
search channels and AI’s ability to
aggregate product data could threaten
direct relationships, signaling a potential
future where retailers without unique
inventory or fulfillment become
commoditized suppliers in an AI-mediated
marketplace.
“That page is not just for people like
you, it is very specifically for you and
your household… 100% personalized
in almost every case, sooner rather
than later.”

—Head of Media, Global eCommerce
Brand
Contested Undefended SecuredLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gaming
Media &
Streaming
F in Tec hProductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravel
Aut o

ProductivityExample companies in category
Productivity tools face high disruption
pressure as AI agents replicate workflows,
but strong loyalty from deep integration
buys time.

With 40% traffic from vulnerable channels
and strong retention scores, platforms must
embed AI capabilities directly to maintain
relevance as standalone AI threatens to
absorb basic productivity functions.
Undefended SecuredContestedLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
GamingDating
Auto
OEMs
F in Tec hProducti vit y
Health

& Fitness
E ducation
Aut o

Marketplaces Retail &

Auto OEMsExample companies in category
Auto OEMs maintain strong position
through brand equity and dealer networks.
With 60% retention and minimal AI
disruption risk, luxury brands especially
remain resilient.

While AI can assist configuration, high-value
purchases require in-person validation. The
opportunity is enhancing digital tools while
preserving the aspirational brand
experience that AI can’t commoditize.
“AI can replicate things like
configurators or trade-in calculators,
but those are already digital. The
bigger question is whether people
will trust it for a $50,000 purchase.”

—CMO, Global Automotive
Manufacturer
SecuredContestedLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gen AIGamingP roductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravel
Aut o

SocialExample companies in category
Social demonstrates resilience with strong
user relationships.

Network effects and real-world relationships
create barriers AI can’t easily breach. With
habitual usage and reliance on mobile apps,
social platforms can leverage AI for
enhancement.
SecuredContestedLOW
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
P roductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravel
Aut o

Marketplaces
NewsSocial Source: Moloco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 verticals, plus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
downloads.

Media & StreamingExample companies in category
Media and Streaming platforms benefit
from content rights and licensing barriers AI
can’t breach. With strong retention and
subscription models, they face limited
disruption.

While AI can recommend content, it can’t
access proprietary content libraries. The
opportunity is using AI to enhance
personalization and discovery while
maintaining exclusive content as the
ultimate moat.
“The traditional entry points of SEO
and app stores are exposed – AI can
sit on top and redirect that traffic.”

—Head of Marketing, Global Streaming
App
SecuredContestedLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gaming
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravel
Aut o

Mar ketplaces Retail &

Financial ServicesExample companies in category
Financial services enjoy maximum
protection through regulatory moats and
switching costs. With less than a third of
discovery traffic vulnerable and strong
retention, traditional banks face minimal AI
threat.

Core workflows require licenses and
compliance AI cannot replicate. The
opportunity lies in using AI to enhance
personalization while maintaining trust and
regulatory advantages that new entrants
cannot match.
“Financial services will be behind
other industries in agentic
commerce – people still need to read
terms, review details, and apply
manually.”

—Head of Digital Marketing Platforms,
Leading Bank
Undefended SecuredContestedLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached GamingDatingFinTec hProductivityEducationTravel
Aut o

Marketplaces
N ewsSocial

FinTechExample companies in category
FinTech maintains a strong defensive
position with proprietary data moats and
regulatory shields.

While AI can educate and compare, it
cannot access bureau data or approve
loans. With 71% retention and 81% app
engagement, platforms can leverage
unique data while selectively partnering
with AI ecosystems to maintain visibility
without losing control.
Undefended SecuredContestedLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gen AIGamingE ducationTravel
Retail &

On-Demand
Services
Example companies in category
On-demand services remain protected by
real-world logistics AI cannot replicate.
Relatively strong retention and proprietary
merchant/courier networks means
platforms face limited disruption.

While AI may handle ordering, fulfillment
requires physical infrastructure. The
opportunity is preparing for agentic
reorders while strengthening in-app
discovery and cross-category expansion.
“Most of conversion today comes
from promotions, but you can’t offer
a promo inside an LLM answer. Over
time, conversion will depend more
on brand trust, and eventually
agentic commerce will take hold.”

—Head of Marketing Strategy, Global
Food Delivery App
SecuredContestedLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Ga mingProductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravelN ewsSocial Source: Moloco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 verticals, plus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
downloads.

GamingExample apps in category
Mobile companies enjoys some protection
from service disruption but relatively weak
loyalty creates some vulnerability from
discovery disruption.

While AI cannot replicate gameplay or live
operations, moderate retention and paid-
heavy acquisition leave gaming exposed as
discovery channels shift. App-native
engagement provides defense, but without
stronger retention mechanics, user
acquisition costs may climb.
Secured HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
GamingDating
Auto
OEMsOn-Deman d

ServicesMedia &
Streaming F inancial
Services
F in TechProductivity
Health

& Fitness
E ducationTravel
Aut o

Marketplaces Retail &

GenAIExample companies in category
Gen AI platforms face unique positioning:
They are the disruptors but face intense
competition.

With 40% traffic from vulnerable channels
and episodic usage patterns, platforms
must build stickiness through distribution
partnerships and specialized use cases.
Success depends on becoming
indispensable infrastructure rather than
novelty tools.
“Most of our growth is still organic…
people see an answer link or a
shared thread and try it themselves.”

—Head of Partnerships, LLM
Undefended SecuredContestedLOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
ProductivityE ducationTravelN ew sSocial Source: Moloco and BCG (2025). Based on surveys
and interviews with 250 senior marketing leaders
(CMOs & VPs) across 15 verticals, plus performance
data f rom 3,000+ apps representing 200B+
downloads.

Casino &

Sports betting
(RMG)
Example companies in category
RMG remains insulated by regulatory
barriers and real-time odds that AI cannot
replicate. However, weak loyalty from
promo-chasing creates vulnerability.

With 35% traffic from disrupted channels
and moderate retention, platforms must
strengthen relationships through
personalization and VIP programs before
discovery channels shift further.
“It’s an app business… almost all of
[our customers] are going to be
organic on any given day just based
on the purchase frequency of the
category… for us, brand trust is the
number one factor.”

—EVP Marketing, Sports betting brand
Undefended SecuredContestedLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gen AIGamingProductivity
Health

& F itness
EducationTravel
Aut o

DatingExample companies in category
Dating remains protected by its core
function of creating real-world relationships.
However, moderate loyalty and episodic
usage create vulnerability.

With moderate traffic from disrupted
channels and users increasingly asking AI
for relationship advice, platforms must may
look to strengthen retention through
community features and adjacent networks
(i.e., BFF, professional) before AI reshapes
discovery.
SecuredContestedLOW HIGH LOWHIGHStrength of customer relationship
Risk of AI disruption
Breached
Casino & Sports betting (RMG)
Gaming
Auto
OEMs
Dating
On-Demand
ServicesMedia &
Strea ming
ProductivityEducationTravel
Aut o

While journeys shift,
relationships endure
Every vertical and company will face

a unique set of opportunities and challenges, but there’s one strategic principle that’s consistent. Customer relationships are
the durable asset of the AI future.

Owning and activating customer signals02Investing in the best digital experience for customers: mobile apps01Rethinking channel mix in the new age of discovery03
Here are three critical strategies forward-looking CMOs are using to drive connections:

Owning and activating customer signals02Rethinking channel mix in the new age of discoveryInvesting in the best digital experience for customers: mobile apps01
Brands can curate and control the end-to-end mobile app
experience, and make the most of first-party data to offer:
Personalized content and discovery that learns from user
behaviors and preferences

AI-driven browsing, comparison, and assistance

Gamified interactions and exclusive access/rewards

Community ecosystems and interactions that increase
loyalty

For marketers, mobile apps are a critical digital strategy.
Investing in mobile apps means access to actionable first-
party data, closed-loop measurement, and most importantly,
continually deepening connections with customers. ”
Here are three critical strategies forward-looking CMOs are using to drive connections:

Here are three critical strategies forward-looking CMOs are using to drive connections:
Investing in the best digital experience for customers: mobile apps01Rethinking channel mix in the new age of discovery03Owning and activating customer signals
Customer signals will continue to be a critical
differentiator as third-party signals become less
reliable. The more brands can understand their
customers, the stickier connections and relationships
they can build.
02

Owning and activating customer signals02Investing in the best digital experience for customers: mobile apps01Rethinking channel mix in the new age of discovery
While everyone fights for visibility, forward-looking
brands are building customer relationships on surfaces
they own. Investing in a mobile app can mean access
to actionable first-party data, closed-loop
measurement, and most importantly, deeper
connections with customers.
03
Not every brand needs an app, but for brands who can offer
frequent engagement, complex service, or community
ecosystems, investing in a mobile app has huge upsides.

Highly disrupted channels include paid and organic search,
programmatic display (web), and affiliate channels

More resilient channels are ones with direct engagement
and access to first-party data, allowing for personalization
and closed-looped performance, including:
In-app marketing channels

E-commerce and retail media

Email and CRM
Here are three critical strategies forward-looking CMOs are using to drive connections:

Let’s grow your app

Contact usBCG ReportRead online

Methodology
About the Research

This report leverages insights f rom
multiple research methodologies
conducted with Boston Consulting
Group f rom June to October 2025.
Quantitative Survey

283 marketing leaders (VP/C-level) across

15 verticals and 5 regions, representing
companies f rom $50M to $10B+ in revenue.

Expert Deep Dive Interviews

15 senior executives (VP/C-level) f rom leading
companies across key verticals.

Performance Analysis

App performance data f rom 3000+ apps
with 200B+ downloads, analyzing retention
rates, engagement patterns, and acquisition
channels (Moloco/Sensor Tower/Semrush).

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.