If you sell anything online, this one is worth a minute of your time. A new survey from the e-commerce research group Baymard found that 60% of U.S. online shoppers would feel less confident buying a product if they knew its photos were AI-generated. PetaPixel reported on the findings on November 3, 2026, and Baymard published the full numbers on October 27.
We shoot events and headshots in San Antonio with the Nikon Z9 and Z8, and we also photograph products on clean backgrounds for local businesses, so we have a front-row seat to why this matters. This post is a plain-language summary of the research, not a technical test of any AI tool.
What the survey found
Baymard surveyed 2,273 U.S. online shoppers in June 2026. Here is how they answered when asked what knowing a product image was AI-generated would do to their purchase confidence:
- 25% said their confidence would drop slightly.
- 18% said it would drop significantly.
- 17% said they would not feel confident enough to buy at all.
- 18% said it would make no difference.
Baymard’s co-founder, Christian Holst, put it this way in the coverage: shoppers do not treat product photos as decoration. They use them to check what they will actually receive, such as the color, the fit, the texture and the scale. Baymard’s advice is to use authentic photography for the main product views and to keep AI-generated images, if used at all, for supporting visuals like backgrounds and lifestyle scenes, while taking steps to keep shopper trust.
Why this matters beyond online stores
The same idea applies to the photos our clients use every day. A headshot, a team photo or a picture from your company event is a trust signal. People look at it to decide whether you are the real thing. A few places where that shows up:
- Headshots on LinkedIn and your website. Clients and hiring managers want to see the actual person they will meet. A real, well-lit portrait does that job. A synthetic one raises questions.
- Product and menu photos. Local shops, restaurants and makers get the most out of pictures that match what shows up at the door. Shoppers return what does not match what they saw.
- Event galleries. Photos from your conference, fundraiser or celebration show that it really happened and that real people showed up. That is hard to fake and worth keeping.
Where AI images can still fit
This is not a case against every AI tool. Baymard itself says AI has a place in supporting visuals. Retouching, cleanup and background extension are common parts of a normal photo workflow. The line shoppers seem to care about is simple: the main picture of the thing you are selling, or the person you are introducing, should be a real photograph of that thing or person.
Tips for small businesses and professionals in San Antonio
- Make the first image the real one. Lead every product page, profile and team page with an authentic photo. Put creative or illustrative images after it.
- Show more than one angle. Front, back, label, scale and a detail shot answer the questions shoppers are trying to check.
- Keep the color honest. Shoot with consistent lighting and edit for accurate color so the product at the door matches the screen.
- Refresh headshots when you change. A new role, a new haircut or a few years passing is a good reason to update. A current photo is more believable than a perfect-looking one that no longer looks like you.
- Be upfront if you do use AI imagery. The research suggests shoppers react to feeling misled. Clear labeling is a simple way to avoid that.
- Photograph your events. Real pictures of your team, your space and your customers are some of the most useful content you can post.
We also wrote about fashion brands swapping photo shoots for AI models and about a camera that tries to prove photos are real. Together with this survey, they point the same way: people care whether a picture is real.
What this means for San Antonio event and headshot clients
If you need a headshot, a team portrait, product photos or coverage of an event, a real photographer gives you pictures that are accurate, consistent and yours to use. We plan the lighting for the room or the backdrop, keep color true, and deliver finished images you can use on your website, in print and on social media. If you have a headshot session, a product shoot or an event coming up, reach out to Grey Bug Photography and we will talk through timing and delivery.
