• by Sarah Mahoney , 4 hours ago

Brand Keys’ latest Loyalty Leaders survey shows generative AI players like ChatGPT leapfrogging heritage names, winning consumer devotion in years, not decades.

It used to take decades — and plenty of advertising dollars — for a brand to earn deep consumer loyalty. Now, generative AI platforms are compressing that timeline. The 17th annual Loyalty Leaders List from Brand Keys shows newcomers like ChatGPT breaking into the top 10 to rank No. 8, up from 40 last year. Digital giants Google and Microsoft also made the Top 10, vaulting ahead of long-entrenched heritage names.

Amazon moves to No. 1, from 2 last year, followed by Google, up from 25; Microsoft, up from 32; Apple, which falls from No. 1; and Coca-Cola, which leaps into 5^th place, jumping 76 places.

Rounding out the Top 10: Samsung, Paramount+, ChatGPT, TikTok and Levi Strauss.

“A combination of generative AI, always-on CX, and brand experiences that consumers actually want is defining this year’s loyalty winners,” said Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys. “More and more, loyalty isn’t set in stone — it’s set in code.”

Expectations are rising at a breakneck pace. “On average, expectations have increased 30% year-over-year, while brands are only gaining 9%–11%,” Passikoff tells Marketing Daily.  “That gap is where brand loyalty lives — and why exposure to and experience with a brand, whether at retail, via streaming, or AI, has never been more critical.”

AI is filling that gap faster than legacy models can. ChatGPT’s rapid rise proves consumers can form loyalty bonds with AI companions as quickly as with entertainment platforms or favorite foods.

At the same time, brands that blend heritage with digital innovation also reaped major gains. Coca-Cola’s meteoric rise of 76 places, for example, is the biggest jump on the list. He attributes that leap to two factors:  First, “everything old is new again, and many younger generations had never seen that 'Have a coke and smile’ stuff.” And more importantly, Coca-Cola has intensified its speed, “and is doing everything faster. Digital engagements, like its ‘Memory Maker’ effort that lets people personalize [Coke cans and create their own videos], makes people feel seen. It’s more inclusive. Personalization deepens emotional connection, and in a socially networked world, it amplifies attachment.”

McDonald’s, which rose 19 places to No. 12, also illustrates how technology is redefining loyalty. “The company has continued moves to screen ordering, tied to apps that capture customer data. That digital transformation, including AI-driven promotions, has given them real growth.”

Streaming platforms also made big moves, with Paramount+ surging 67 places, pulling loyalty away from Netflix and Disney+.

Passikoff sees all these shifts as proof that the loyalty game itself is evolving. Instead of static programs or points systems, AI and digital ecosystems are enabling adaptive loyalty experiences — anticipating mood, context, and life stage in real time.

AI will keep weaving itself into daily routines, including shopping, media, health, and finance, pushing loyalty away from the transactional to become more relational, and eventually, predictive. Consumers won’t just be choosing brands; AI will be choosing for them, based on trust, history, and context.

“Brands that deliver interaction, personalization, and emotional resonance win,” he said. “When consumers feel seen, they stay.”