Research reveals new purchasing journey in Brazil: how each generation interacts with multiple digital media

MLabs, the leading platform for intelligent social media management in Latin America, in partnership with Conversion, the number one agency in digital performance and SEO in Brazil, launched the survey “A New Journey of Purchase”. The study reveals how different age groups behave in the various digital channels including AIs, social networks and search engines, and how they relate to brands, content and products.The survey, conducted with 800 respondents from all over Brazil, draws a detailed picture of the Baby Boomer, X, Millennial and Z generations, and points out the trends that should guide consumption in 2026.

“We created this study to map how the four generations coexist in the Brazilian market, each one dominating different tools to consume. The data reveal not only a behavioral change, but the need to rethink marketing strategies”, explains Diego Ivo, founder and CEO of Conversion.

“More than following trends, we need to understand the new logic of influence BUILT through data, relevance and credibility. The online behavior of each generation reveals that the relationship between brands and people is increasingly guided by purpose and context, and not just by online visibility”, he adds. 

Differences between generations: what moves each audience

The study reveals a digitally diverse Brazil and generations that, although they live on the same platforms, have different motivations and criteria.

• Generation Z (18 to 26 years): it is the most connected and socially active. 87% discover products, services or brands on Instagram and 80% on TikTok, platforms used not only for leisure, but also as a source of information, learning and consumption. It is the group that most values authenticity and brand positioning, and 67,2% of them already claim to use AI (such as ChatGPT) to ask about advantages and disadvantages of products. It is the generation that uses artificial intelligence as a kind of digital“consultor” to validate and make decisions.

• Millennials (27 to 42 years): 83,5% discover products on Instagram, 73,5% on YouTube and 72% on Google.They are also among those who use AI (56%) as a search and decision tool. They prefer brands that teach, inspire and deliver utility: 58% say they rely more on AIs than on people close to them to get up-to-date information.

• Generation X (43 to 58 years): google leads with 84.5% of searches, followed by YouTube (60%) and Instagram (45.5%). This generation values credibility, experience and comparison, with 47.5% already using AI in their searches. Although they demonstrate openness to technology, they maintain caution and prioritize validation in official sources and physical stores.

• Baby Boomers (59+): they have a growing digital presence. 77,5% use Google and 58,5% YouTube as the main channels for discovering products, services or brands. Instagram (50,5%) and Facebook (37,5%) appear as the most frequent use networks. Although the use of AI is lower (31%) to search for brands or products, almost 48% of this generation claim to use it to find the lowest price or best offer, demonstrating a practical and efficiency-oriented profile.

The platforms that dominate the country

The study approaches the subject from two complementary perspectives.When the subject is to discover new products or brands, the main sources are Google (76%), followed by Instagram (73.3%), YouTube (69%), TikTok (55.4%) and television (49.9%).

When the focus is on searching for information about products, services or brands already known, the most used channels are Google (78,8%), YouTube (59,5%), Instagram (51,13%), artificial intelligence (48,5%) and TikTok (38,75%).

Factors that most influence the final purchase decision 

• Price (80,6%)
• Product quality (77.4%)
• Free shipping (77,3%)
• Brand reputation/reliability (45,8%)
• Other buyers' ratings (45,4%)

AI as a generational divider and the future of consumption in Brazil

The highlight of the research, in addition to the presence of social networks throughout the purchase journey, for all generations, is the relevant presence of artificial intelligence in the journeys, albeit in different measures.

AI emerges as one of the main generational dividers of Brazilian consumption.Generation Z (59.5%) and Millennials (56%) have already transformed algorithms into true digital buying consultants, establishing a relationship of trust that surpasses many traditional sources.

On the other hand, Generation X (47.5%) demonstrates a more cautious but growing adoption, while Baby Boomers (31%) follow a more gradual pace and still face barriers to entry. This difference of almost 30 percentage points between the extremes shows how AI has become a milestone between digital native generations and those in the process of adapting to the online environment.

“The growth of AI and social networks among younger people does not represent a replacement for Google, but the expansion of searches.Young users discover products and services through social networks fluidly, use Google to actively seek factual information and go to AI to do contextual, comparative analysis. This creates a richer and more personalized hybrid search experience than any previous generation had access to”, says Rafael Kiso.

The data reinforce that this transformation already anticipates the future of consumption in Brazil. 41,5% of Generation Z and 37% of Millennials believe that AI will completely revolutionize the way we buy, a perception that reflects how these generations have already incorporated it into everyday life. Among the more mature, 35% of Generation X and 35,5% of Baby Boomers see AI as very important, but do not believe that it will totally replace traditional forms of consumption.

“Each generation relates to AIs in their own way, but none of them fail to relate. It is no longer possible to think about the future of consumption without thinking about the” AIs, concludes Kiso.