Archive · 28 Sep 2026
India Leads Asia in LLM Search Purchase Journeys
The report studied how people use LLM search when deciding what to buy.
In India, LLM search appeared in 22% of purchase journeys.
This was the highest rate among India, China, Japan, and South Korea.
Social media was still used more often for discovering products in India, at 29%.
However, LLM search had a slightly stronger effect on the final brand choice among people who used it.
The report said LLM search was already among the five biggest purchase touchpoints across the markets studied.
It ranked ahead of television, radio, print, and billboards.
More than half of these journeys helped people find brands they might not otherwise have considered.
Consumers said AI-generated answers reduced guesswork and offered personalized, objective, and transparent recommendations.
LLM search appeared in 22% of purchase journeys in India, the highest rate among four Asian markets studied.
India’s LLM-search usage was nearly four times Japan’s 5% rate.
Social media led discovery in India at 29%, while LLM search reached 22%.
LLM search influenced the final brand choice in 65% of India’s LLM-assisted journeys, ahead of social media’s 64%.
More than half of LLM-assisted journeys introduced consumers to brands they might not otherwise have found.
- Who
- Boston Consulting Group (BCG), marketers, and consumers using LLM search.
- What
- A BCG report found that LLM search is becoming an influential part of purchase journeys, especially in India.
- When
- The findings were reported on Monday; no specific date was provided.
- Where
- India, China, Japan, and South Korea, with India recording the highest usage.
- Why
- LLM search is emerging as a major discovery and recommendation channel that can influence brand choices and introduce lesser-known brands.
- India LLM-search reach
- 22% of purchase journeys
- Highest market
- India had the highest LLM-search rate among the four markets studied.
- Japan comparison
- Japan recorded a 5% LLM-search rate, nearly four times lower than India.
- India social-media discovery
- Social media led discovery in India at 29%.
- India brand-choice influence
- LLM search shaped the final brand choice in 65% of LLM-assisted journeys.
- Social-media influence
- Social media influenced final brand choice in 64% of journeys among users of that channel.
- Other touchpoints
- LLM search ranked among the top five touchpoints across the four markets, ahead of TV, radio, print, and billboards.