Title: The Strategic Role of AI Answer Quality in the AEO Era: Effects on Brand Trust and Consumer Purchase Intention
Authors: Linh Le Tran Tuyet, Giang Le Huong, Ha Nguyen Manh
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
Pages: 88-95
Publication Date: 2026/06/28
Abstract:
AI-powered search tools are reshaping how consumers discover and evaluate brands, making the quality of AI-generated brand information a potentially important driver of consumer behavior. This study examines the association between Perceived AI Answer Quality (PAAQ) and Purchase Intention (PI), with Brand Trust (BT) as a mediator, grounded in Information Quality Theory (Wang & Strong, 1996). A cross-sectional survey was conducted with Gen Z and Millennial consumers (n = 286). Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated acceptable model fit (?²/df = 2.71; CFI = 0.93; TLI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.079; SRMR = 0.061). PAAQ was significantly associated with Brand Trust (? = 0.54, p < .001), and Brand Trust with Purchase Intention (? = 0.49, p < .001). Bootstrap mediation analysis confirmed a significant indirect effect (? = 0.26, 95% CI [0.15, 0.39], p < .001), with partial mediation supported. These findings suggest that the clarity, accuracy, and comprehensibility of AI-generated brand answers are associated with higher brand trust and, through trust, greater purchase intention, with implications for digital marketing strategy in the generative AI era.