Consumer shopping journeys in 2026 will mostly start on social media (SNS). In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) will help consumers make decisions virtually like a personal assistant by providing product information, reviews, recommendations, and style advice.
Jo Yong-beom, vice president for Asia-Pacific (APAC) at Meta, held an online media briefing on the 8th to share next year's business trends and strategies for using Meta's platforms. He said, "People are discovering products while watching creators' videos or friends' posts, and an era is opening in which they ask AI, 'Is this brand trustworthy?' 'Will it suit me?'" He added, "Even after a purchase, users leave reviews with help from AI and share try-on shots or looks, and that information is fed back into the social discovery process."
Jo said the AI- and SNS-based shopping journey is rapidly evolving into a structure that connects "discovery-purchase-share," and that messaging is becoming the most direct channel linking customers and brands. He added, "In Korea and across Asia, messenger consultations and instant payments have become routine, and there is a clear pattern of consumers seeing a product and immediately moving to inquiry and purchase through messages," noting, "For corporations, messaging-based commerce has become a key channel that significantly raises conversion rates."
He also assessed that the role of the creator economy is expanding. Jo said, "Consumers now tend to trust creators' voices more than brands, and the moment a creator introduces a product becomes the point where discovery begins." He added, "In particular, creator-centric content naturally weaves in brand messages and drives community participation, making it very effective at creating fan-based purchasing behavior," forecasting that "in 2026, creator collaborations will stand out even more as a key factor determining brand growth."
He also said video and live commerce are materially boosting purchase conversions. Jo said, "Short-form video has emerged as the first touchpoint where consumers discover new products, and live commerce has established itself as the most powerful format that drives immediate purchases through real-time demonstrations, explanations, and communication." He added, "In the APAC market, consumption of video content is rising especially fast, so how brands leverage video and live commerce will heavily influence sales performance."
Jo said, "Meta is going beyond simple trend forecasts to actively lead market change through its AI roadmap," adding, "Meta's roadmap focuses on continuing innovation across the board, from AI-based creative solutions to business AI." He said, "The most powerful tool to realize this roadmap is Meta Advantage+; corporations can automate part or all of ad production and adjust campaigns based on real-time data to maximize performance."
Jo also highlighted APAC's strengths. He said, "APAC is no longer confined to a traditional export market; it is rapidly expanding intra-regional trade and emerging as a global commerce hub," adding, "In particular, Korea's K-beauty, K-drama, and K-pop are representative success models that started in APAC and spread worldwide." He continued, "APAC corporations are achieving cross-border growth by leveraging social-based marketing," noting, "Meta is focusing on supporting corporations to build both reach and results in global markets through AI investments."
However, Jo emphasized that building platform trust is as important as the spread of technology. Jo said, "Meta proactively took down 134 million scam ads this year," adding, "User scam reports fell 50% over the past 15 months, but as criminal groups grow more sophisticated, our response must continue to advance." He added, "We are expanding global cooperation, including working with Singaporean law enforcement to crack down on illegal online gambling rings."