“AI will make affiliate marketing irrelevant.”

Our new research shows the opposite.

Levanta surveyed 1,000 US consumers to understand how AI is influencing the buying journey. The findings reveal a clear pattern: shoppers use AI tools to explore options, but they continue to rely on human-driven content before making a purchase.

Here is what the data shows:

Download the full report to see what this shift means for brands navigating the AI era.

The gap between AI-powered marketers and everyone else is about to become a canyon.

If you're still doing everything manually—writing every word, designing every graphic, and scheduling every post by hand—you're working twice as hard for half the results. And in 2026, that gap will only widen.

Here's the truth: AI won't replace marketers. But marketers who use AI will replace those who don't.

Right now, smart business owners are using AI to create content in minutes that used to take hours. They're analyzing customer data instantly. They're personalizing messages at scale.

Meanwhile, their competitors are still staring at blank screens, wondering what to post next.

Consider this: A solopreneur using AI tools can now produce the same quality and quantity of marketing content as a team of five—without burning out or breaking the bank.

That's not a prediction. That's happening right now.

Let me break down what the AI advantage means in practical terms:

1. Content Creation at Lightning Speed Instead of spending 3 hours writing one blog post, you can draft, edit, and polish it in under 30 minutes. AI helps you brainstorm ideas, overcome writer's block, and maintain your unique voice.

2. Smarter Audience Research AI tools can analyze thousands of social media posts, reviews, and comments to tell you exactly what your audience cares about. No more guessing.

3. Visual Content Without a Design Degree Creating professional graphics, carousels, and even videos is now possible for anyone—no expensive software or skills required.

4. Personalization That Actually Works AI helps you segment your audience and craft messages that speak directly to each group's specific needs and pain points.

You don't need a big budget to start using AI. Here are tools that deliver real results:

Here's what I've learned in three decades of business: the early adopters always win.

Those who learned email marketing early built massive lists. Those who embraced social media first became influencers. Those who started podcasting early own their categories.

AI is the same opportunity—but bigger.

Every month you wait, your competitors get further ahead. They're building systems, learning what works, and establishing themselves as leaders in their space.

You can catch up later, but it will cost you more time, money, and effort.

Start small. Pick one AI tool from the list above. Use it for one task this week—maybe drafting a social media post or researching your audience.

That's it. One tool. One task. One week.

You'll quickly see why marketers who master AI are pulling ahead.

Want more AI strategies that actually grow your business? My weekly newsletter delivers practical, actionable AI tips designed for entrepreneurs and side hustlers who want results without the tech overwhelm. Join thousands of readers who are building smarter businesses—one AI tool at a time.

The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.

1. AI creates a competitive advantage, not a replacement threat. Marketers who use AI tools can produce the same output as a team of five people—creating content faster, researching audiences more effectively, and personalizing at scale. The technology amplifies human effort rather than eliminating the need for it.

2. The barrier to entry is lower than most people think. You don't need a big budget or technical skills to get started. Free and low-cost tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Canva, and Perplexity AI give solopreneurs and side hustlers access to capabilities that were previously only available to well-funded marketing teams.

3. Early adopters always win. Just like email marketing, social media, and podcasting rewarded those who started early, AI presents the same opportunity—but with even bigger potential. Every month of waiting means competitors are building systems and establishing leadership positions that become harder to catch up to over time.

The bottom line? Start small, start now, and build your AI skills one tool at a time.

The Problem: Building an email list on social media means you're renting space on someone else's land—one algorithm change and your audience disappears.

The Solution: Beehiiv gives you owned digital real estate. This newsletter platform makes it easy to grow, monetize, and truly own your subscriber relationships.

The Problem: Juggling content ideas, project notes, and business tasks across multiple apps creates chaos and wastes precious time you could spend growing your business.

The Solution: Notion AI combines organization with intelligence. It helps you brainstorm, summarize, and write—all inside one workspace that keeps everything connected.

The Problem: Professional graphics used to require expensive software and design skills most solopreneurs simply don't have time to learn.

The Solution: Canva's AI-powered tools let anyone create scroll-stopping social posts, carousels, and presentations in minutes. No design degree required—just drag, drop, and publish.

You know you need an email list. You've watched algorithms destroy reach on every platform. You understand that your newsletter is the one asset nobody can take from you.

So why haven't you launched yet?

The Newsletter Launch Kit gives you everything you need to go from "I should start a newsletter" to "I just hit send" — in a single weekend.

Perfect for: Solopreneurs, coaches, creators, and side hustlers ready to build an audience they actually own.

Hybrid Learning Experience: To optimize your learning experience, the Newsletter Launch Kit includes text, video, audio, and 1:1 coaching by Newsletter publisher, Hugh Lee Johnson.