On the latest episode of the Trending: Pet Food podcast, Mike Abruscato, director of business development and operations, and Christina Tanner, social media manager, for Cheddy Inc. and Brand's Best Friend, joined host Lindsay Beaton, editor of Petfood Industry, to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming the way pet food consumers shop — and what that means for brands trying to stay visible and competitive.
From Amazon's AI shopping assistant Rufus to ChatGPT and Google Gemini racing toward instant checkout capabilities, the conversation covered the rapid convergence of AI and e-commerce. Abruscato and Tanner unpacked how conversational, hyper-personalized search is replacing traditional keyword-driven discovery — and why brands that aren't optimizing for AI risk being filtered out before a consumer ever sees their product.
Here are the Top 10 Takeaways from Episode 106: How are pet food customers using AI to enhance their shopping experience?
1. AI adoption is broad and growing fast across all consumer generations. Roughly 71% of U.S. consumers are now using AI in some form, and 38% say they will use it to make decisions on pet supplies, according to Abruscato. "Adoption is there, and it's there across multiple generations — from baby boomers to Gen X, millennials and Gen Z."
2. Conversational search is replacing keyword search — and narrowing the brand playing field. Rather than typing short phrases into a search bar, consumers are now asking AI detailed, specific questions. "A consumer might ask, 'What is the best freeze-dried food for my Labrador retriever, and I'm on a strict budget?'" Abruscato explained. "AI then narrows its suggestions based on that conversation, eliminating options right out of the gate."
3. AI assistants are learning individual consumer behavior and will increasingly personalize results. These tools are designed to remember past conversations, purchases and preferences. "They're learning who you are as an individual and will start to custom-tailor responses and suggestions based on that," Abruscato said. "Indexing for AI is going to become very personalized."
4. ChatGPT and Google Gemini are becoming full e-commerce platforms — not just search tools. Both are moving toward instant checkout and have formed retail partnerships. Tanner noted that the consumer journey now runs through AI at nearly every touchpoint: "The platforms consumers already use are also integrating AI. Amazon has AI built into its search. Social media channels have AI built into their search bars as well."
5. Content volume and diversity are the foundation of AI visibility. Brands that appear consistently across platforms, formats and use cases are the ones AI will surface. "You could have a product that perfectly solves a consumer's problem, but unless you're showing up in that search, you won't be found," Tanner said. "The brands that repeatedly appear in results for a given language model are the ones that will continue to show up."
6. SEO isn't dead — it's evolving into AI and large language model optimization. The principles are shifting, but the underlying goal remains the same. "Search engine optimization is ultimately going to become AI or large language model optimization," Abruscato said. Online publications currently appear to be a primary source for AI models gathering information, making earned media more strategically valuable than ever.
7. The human element in social media is becoming more important, not less. As AI reduces brand influence at the point of purchase, social media is where connection still happens. "There's a time and a place for AI-generated content on social, but people — especially in the pet industry — are still responding best to real content," Tanner said. "Consumers want diverse people, diverse pets, and they want to connect with someone who has the same breed, the same experience."
8. Fully AI-generated social content carries real risk — transparency is key. Platforms and algorithms currently suppress undisclosed AI content, and consumers who identify it may penalize the brand. Tanner advised that if brands use AI creatively, it should be "done in a way that's fun, creative and clearly embraced rather than disguised." Automating DM responses is one reasonable application, she noted.
9. Content created today is increasingly optimized for AI, not just human eyes. The balance has already shifted. "A year ago, I'd say content we created was roughly 60 to 70% for the human consumer, with 30 to 40% for AI," Abruscato said. "Today, that's flipped" — because if consumers are relying on AI to surface and summarize results, they may never reach a product page at all.
10. The biggest 2026 shift will be AI platforms becoming shoppable channels. Features that were rumored or in beta in 2025 are expected to fully materialize this year. "These AI models will not just be AI models. They will become their own shopping platforms and business channels, and brands need to be there," Abruscato said. Brands can already apply as instant checkout merchants on ChatGPT — and Tanner added that how people talk about your brand across the internet, including through creators and third-party voices, "matters more than ever."
