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Horizon Media Study Identifies The “Trust Tax”: How AI Shopping Can Quietly Erode Brand Loyalty

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More than Half of Consumers Distrust AI Shopping Agents — Putting More than a Quarter of Brand Loyalty at Risk

NEW YORK, June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AI has made shopping faster. It hasn’t made it more trusted. New research from Horizon Media finds that while consumers have broadly adopted AI for product research and price comparison, they remain deeply skeptical of AI making purchases on their behalf — and that skepticism can cost brands. More than half of consumers (68%) already believe an AI shopping agent may not be acting in their best interests. When those consumers have a negative experience with an automated purchase, which happens 40% of the time, their brand loyalty is directly at risk. Researchers at Horizon call this compounding effect the “Trust Tax”: a quantifiable threat to the long-term loyalty of more than 27% of a brand’s customer base.

“The premise that brands might trade short-term conversion gains for long-term loyalty isn’t just a theory; it’s a number,” said Laura Sammartino, SVP Future of Consumer & Culture, Horizon Media. “Twenty-seven percent of your customers are already at risk. That’s not a rounding error.”

Based on a survey of 1,000 AI-active consumers, the report identifies a new behavioral and emotional landscape emerging as shopping shifts from human-led decisions to AI-assisted – and increasingly AI-executed – transactions. Agentic commerce isn’t just a technology shift—it’s a psychological one, and while the industry has focused heavily on what AI can do, there is a broader implication to how consumers feel.

“Our research provides a clear financial warning for brands rushing into autonomous commerce. The premise that brands might trade short-term gains for long-term loyalty is not just a theory; it’s a quantifiable risk,” said Laura Sammartino, SVP Future of Consumer & Culture, Horizon Media. “A staggering 68% of consumers already believe an AI shopping agent may not be loyal to them. This ‘trust gap’ represents a massive segment of any brand’s customer base that is already at risk. When these consumers have a negative or anxious experience with an automated purchase, which our research shows happens 40% of the time, their loyalty is directly threatened.

By applying this ‘anxiety rate’ to the ‘at-risk’ customer base, we can estimate that brands risk the long-term loyalty of more than 27% of their customers. This ‘Trust Tax’ is the direct financial consequence of prioritizing automation over authentic consumer trust.”

Key Findings

The Control Paradox: Consumers want help – but not a handoff. While 70% of consumers are comfortable using AI for deal-hunting, only 33% are comfortable allowing AI to complete a purchase on their behalf.The Automation Hangover: Efficiency comes with an emotional cost. Even when AI delivers a successful purchase, 40% of consumers say they expect to feel anxious or frustrated, and 23% anticipate feeling disconnected from the experience.The Trust Gap: AI loyalty is under scrutiny. A significant 76% of consumers believe AI shopping agents should work for them—but only 27% believe they actually do.

A Shift from Browsing to Optimization

The report finds that AI is quickly becoming the front door to commerce.

82% of consumers have used AI for product research or comparison64% have used AI for price tracking62% have used AI for research90% report satisfaction with AI-assisted shopping experiences

“AI is turning shoppers into optimizers,” said Laura Sammartino, SVP Future of Consumer & Culture, Horizon Media. “The implication is profound: brands are no longer just competing for attention. They’re competing to be selected by an algorithm.”

What This Means for Brands

The report argues that success in the agentic era will not be defined by conversion alone, but by a brand’s ability to preserve trust, control, and emotional connection.

Horizon outlines a strategic framework for brands navigating this shift:

Optimizer: Win in AI-driven environments where price, performance, and efficiency dominateCurator: Guide decision-making with tools that simplify choice and build confidenceGuarantor: Reduce risk and anxiety through transparency, safeguards, and post-purchase reassurance

The New Mandate: Build Trust, Not Just Technology

The brands that win won’t just be the ones that show up in AI recommendations. They’ll be the ones that prove – consistently and visibly – that they are working in the consumer’s best interest.

Methodology
“Agentic Commerce: Building Trust in the New Era of AI Shopping” was developed by Horizon Futures in partnership with Horizon Commerce, Blue Hour Studios, and Horizon SEO. The findings are based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted in March 2026, supplemented by behavioral data and cultural analysis.

About Horizon Media Holdings
Horizon Media Holdings is the privately-held parent company of Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency and the largest independent globally, with additional portfolio companies including – Horizon Next (full-service marketing); Horizon Commerce (commerce and digital experiences); Horizon Business (consulting, media and creative); One Horizon (full-service advertising); HS&E (sports and experiential); and Blue Hour Studios (influencer agency). Horizon Media Holdings has a 50/50 partnership with Havas Media Network in the performance-driven agency network, Horizon Global. Horizon Holdings drives enterprise-level innovation, fosters collaboration across its portfolio, and explores new growth opportunities and technology solutions to help its clients navigate the shifting marketing challenges of today and tomorrow. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/horizon-media-study-identifies-the-trust-tax-how-ai-shopping-can-quietly-erode-brand-loyalty-302787593.html

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Flowgear Launches Builder MCP to Bring Enterprise Integration Into Any AI Chat or IDE

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June 3, 2026

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New MCP capability lets teams build and test enterprise workflows directly from AI coding tools and local development environments without compromising security or enterprise guardrails.

ATLANTA, June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Flowgear, an enterprise integration platform serving more than 140 global partners and 1,000 certified developers worldwide, today announced the launch of Builder MCP, a way to build workflows directly from an AI chat.

“Builder MCP fundamentally reimagines the integration lifecycle by embedding Flowgear’s framework directly into the AI tools where engineering teams increasingly work,” said Daniel Chilcott, co-founder and CEO of Flowgear.

Builder MCP lets technical teams build Flowgear workflows directly from an AI chat or local IDE, outside the Flowgear console. For integration architects and developers, that means scaffolding and testing backend workflows from the tools they already use, without switching contexts.

Integrating AI Workflows Securely and Conveniently

Open-ended coding gives teams too many pathways for backend engineering, leading to architectural drift, security gaps, and duplicated work. These challenges are amplified as new AI coding tools are being integrated into developer workflows, creating AI sprawl, where multiple teams independently build overlapping or duplicate integrations across isolated tools.

Builder MCP solves this by constraining AI-generated workflows to validated patterns on Flowgear’s infrastructure, giving AI a toolkit to use rather than a blank canvas to create.

This capabilities upgrade delivers immediate advantages for modern engineering operations, including:

– Build from anywhere. Teams can create and test Flowgear workflows from external AI tools, IDEs, and local environments, using the same tooling surface available inside the Console.

– Faster loops. The AI-assisted workflow cuts the time between drafting and testing, so working outcomes accompany developer inputs.

– Guardrails included. Every workflow built through Builder MCP inherits platform-level governance and security, so nothing ships without Flowgear’s enterprise controls.

“Builder MCP fundamentally reimagines the integration lifecycle by embedding Flowgear’s framework directly into the AI tools where engineering teams increasingly work,” said Daniel Chilcott, co-founder and CEO of Flowgear. “By using AI to generate and refine structured backend logic on the fly safely, organizations can collapse their integration backlogs and achieve production readiness without the overhead of manual console design.”

Unlike many MCP offerings that focus on giving AI agents access to existing tools, app actions, or enterprise resources, Flowgear Builder MCP gives technical teams a way to create and test new Flowgear workflows from outside the Console, using the same workflow-building tool surface used by Flowgear’s built-in tooling.

Automation That Scales

Modern mid-market and enterprise organizations depend on a dense web of enterprise software platforms to drive daily business execution. When these systems remain disconnected, they generate deep operational drag, manual information dependencies, and siloed visibility across business units.

Flowgear bridges these gaps by providing out-of-the-box infrastructure connectivity that harmonizes data flows across distinct functional departments.

With the debut of Builder MCP, Flowgear establishes an AI-guided framework for constructing and scaling foundational workflows, keeping modern companies moving.

For example, in e-commerce or supply chain environments, Flowgear Builder MCP enables teams to build workflows that seamlessly connect online orders, stock levels, warehouse activity, ERP records, courier systems, and customer notifications. As the business scales, it empowers technical teams to rapidly adapt these workflows to accommodate new sales channels, fulfillment processes, or logistics providers.

Flowgear’s platform gives developers the freedom to build in their preferred environments while maintaining enterprise-grade governance. Builder MCP extends that principle to AI-assisted workflows.

“Builder MCP gives enterprises the confidence to deploy AI-assisted automation because the underlying workflows are governed by a resilient, enterprise-grade environment,” said JJ Milner, co-founder of Flowgear and founder and Managing Director of Global Micro Solutions. “AI development is only as good as the systems that surround it, and with Builder MCP, we are providing the structural foundation required to scale AI automation safely, reliably, and without the risk of sprawl.”

To explore the new build experience or learn how to register the Builder MCP endpoint with your AI agent, visit https://www.flowgear.net/.

About Flowgear

Flowgear is a globally recognized Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) trusted by businesses of all sizes to streamline data and app-to-app interactions, without the complexity of traditional tools. Founded in 2010 by Daniel Chilcott and JJ Milner, the company offers a no- to low-code platform that lets teams build and deploy integrations quickly, using hundreds of prebuilt connectors and a visual designer that simplifies even the most advanced workflows. With industry-leading reviews that rank it among the top iPaaS solutions globally, Flowgear gives businesses the speed, agility, and control to integrate anything, automate everything, and grow on a single platform. For more information, please visit https://www.flowgear.net/.

Media Contact
Kathy Berardi, Flowgear, 1 6786444122, kathy@berardipr.com, https://www.flowgear.net/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/flowgear-launches-builder-mcp-to-bring-enterprise-integration-into-any-ai-chat-or-ide-302789942.html

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Accredited Debt Relief Named One of America’s Best Online Platforms by Newsweek, Ranked Among the Nation’s Top Financial Services

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June 3, 2026

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Recognition highlights the company’s decade-long investment in client-facing technology — including the debt relief industry’s first dedicated mobile app and client dashboard.

CHICAGO, June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Accredited Debt Relief, a leading provider of debt relief services for Americans managing significant unsecured debt, has been named one of America’s Best Online Platforms 2025 by Newsweek, ranking #12 in the Banks, Investments & Loans category with a score of 9.10 out of 10.

Accredited Debt Relief’s inclusion among the top 12 financial platforms in the country reflects an approach to technology that the company has been building since 2011.

The ranking, published by Newsweek’s editorial team, recognizes top-performing digital platforms that set new standards for innovation, reliability and user satisfaction in financial services. Accredited Debt Relief’s inclusion among the top 12 financial platforms in the country reflects an approach to technology that the company has been building since 2011.

The company was evaluated alongside major national institutions including Fidelity, Citi, Navy Federal Credit Union, Chime, Coinbase, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and Chase.

~ Technology That Changed What It Means to Go Through a Debt Relief Program ~

In 2021, Accredited Debt Relief introduced the first dedicated client mobile app in the debt relief industry. At the time, clients enrolled in debt relief programs had limited visibility into their accounts — they could access their program on a desktop computer or over the phone, but couldn’t see real-time updates on-the-go.

Accredited Debt Relief changed that by building a digital infrastructure that put the entire program in clients’ hands.

Today, the company’s award-winning mobile app — rated 4.9 stars on the Apple App Store (17,000+ ratings) and 4.7 stars on Google Play (8,800+ reviews) — gives enrolled clients 24/7 access to:

A real-time view of their entire program, including progress on enrolled accountsLive chat with debt specialistsPayment tracking, offer notifications and program alertsDocument upload and e-signature capabilities, eliminating paperwork delaysVisual milestone tracking and free financial education resources

The platform is supported by a team of 160+ technology professionals — engineers, product managers, QA specialists, and DevSecOps engineers — who work in direct collaboration with client services staff. Feedback from specialists on the front lines of the program informs continuous platform updates, creating a technology roadmap that is shaped by real client experiences.

~ Technology That Delivers Measurable Client Outcomes ~

The most compelling case for Accredited Debt Relief’s technology is the outcomes it supports. In a survey of more than 10,000 program graduates, respondents reported a 42% improvement in their financial habits — improving from an average self-reported score of 5.7 to 8.1 out of 10. Eight in 10 graduates said they would recommend the program to a friend or family member struggling with debt, and 92% said the program made their monthly payments more affordable.

For Accredited Debt Relief, the Newsweek recognition joins a growing list of third-party validations, including recognition for “Best Customer Service,” “Best Value” and “Best Overall Process” by ConsumerAffairs in their annual Buyer’s Choice Awards.

Accredited Debt Relief was also recognized by Finder.com as a top-rated debt relief company for customer satisfaction.

~ About Accredited Debt Relief ~

Accredited Debt Relief is a leading debt consolidation company that has helped more than 1.3 million clients take meaningful steps toward getting out of debt. Since 2011, the company has resolved more than $15 billion in debt.

Accredited Debt Relief is recognized for its client-first approach, earning multiple ConsumerAffairs Buyer’s Choice Awards for Customer Service, Overall Process and Best Value, and being named Best for Customer Satisfaction by both CBS News MoneyWatch and Bankrate in 2026. The company also maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, accreditation from the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR), and an Excellent Trustpilot rating supported by thousands of five-star reviews.

Results may vary. Individual outcomes depend on specific financial circumstances.

Media Contact

Anna Caldwell, Accredited Debt Relief, 1 800-497-1965, acaldwell@beyondfinance.com, www.accrediteddebtrelief.com

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Ambition Launches MCP Integration, Enabling Revenue Organizations to Maximize Frontline Clarity and Efficiency

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June 3, 2026

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New integration enables organizations to securely connect AI platforms to Ambition’s unified performance graph, delivering richer context, stronger governance, and more actionable insights for revenue teams

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ambition, the AI-powered performance platform for revenue teams, today announced the initial launch of its new Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration, enabling organizations to securely connect external AI systems and workplace tools to Ambition’s unified revenue performance graph.

This release marks the first stage of a major step forward in how revenue organizations operationalize AI—moving beyond disconnected vendor AI copilots and isolated API integrations toward a secure, context-rich execution layer that understands the relationships between coaching, performance, pipeline, methodology adherence, and seller behavior.

AI Is Only as Valuable as the Context Behind It

As revenue teams race to adopt AI, many organizations are discovering that simply connecting AI tools directly to CRM, enablement, and conversation platforms creates fragmented experiences with incomplete context, inconsistent permissions, and limited governance.

This foundational phase of Ambition’s MCP integration solves this problem by acting as the centralized execution layer between revenue systems and AI platforms.

“Most AI tools today can retrieve information,” said Jared Houghton, CEO of Ambition. “What revenue leaders actually need is context. Ambition gives AI the operational understanding of how revenue teams work, like who’s being coached, what behaviors drive outcomes, where risk exists, and what actions should happen next.”

Why MCP Matters for Revenue Teams

Traditional APIs move raw data between systems. MCP introduces a more intelligent interaction model where AI can securely retrieve relevant context only when needed—without requiring organizations to duplicate, expose, or manually reconcile information across dozens of tools.

Through Ambition’s MCP integration, AI can securely retrieve and analyze relevant execution context across CRM activity, coaching history, enablement adherence, and performance data—all while respecting organizational permissions and governance controls, and limiting the number of queries required.

This approach delivers three major benefits for enterprise revenue organizations

Better Security and Governance: Ambition centralizes execution context and permissions in one system, leading to more unified data usage and higher-quality AI outputs.

Greater Token Efficiency and Speed to Insights: Ambition’s Performance Graph is constantly mapping relationships and connecting data across nodes, which allows more efficient queries by AI systems.Richer Context and Smarter Insights: Because Ambition stores and understands the relationships between coaching, activity, performance, and sales methodology, AI can deliver more relevant and context-aware insights over time.

Bringing Revenue AI Into Daily Workflows

Ambition’s MCP integration connects AI to a governed, contextualized execution layer, enabling organizations to operationalize AI safely while improving forecast confidence, coaching consistency, and execution quality across revenue teams.

Future releases will expand into action-oriented workflows, allowing AI systems to not only analyze execution but also trigger operational actions inside Ambition itself.

Ambition’s MCP integration is available today for new and current customers in the latest version of Ambition. To see it in action, request a demo.

For current customers interested in learning more about the newly redesigned Ambition platform, fill out the early access form. 

To learn more about the new agentic Ambition experience, visit the website.

About Ambition

Ambition is the AI-powered revenue execution platform that helps organizations operationalize coaching, performance management, and execution across revenue teams. By combining seller activation, coaching orchestration, and performance intelligence, Ambition enables companies to drive predictable growth, improve forecast confidence, and scale high-performing revenue cultures.

For media inquiries, contact: marketing@ambition.com

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