Reference News, September 22 report: The U.S. Forbes magazine website published an article titled "Why the 'Made in USA' Label No Longer Drives Sales" on September 20. The author is Brian Robinson, and the content is translated as follows:

Traditionally, many American consumers have regarded the "Made in USA" label as a symbol of patriotism. However, the emerging shift indicates that consumer brand loyalty to the "Made in USA" label is declining. Consumers are being tempted by other factors when shopping. Experts believe this shift reflects a larger trend where efficiency is overtaking brand loyalty.

Why is loyalty to the "Made in USA" label fading?

A new study by the Conference Board, which surveyed 3,000 adults, shows that compared to three years ago, American consumers are now less likely to consider the country of origin (even if it's the United States) when purchasing products. The report found that only 50% of American adults prefer to buy American-made products, down from 60% in 2022, because consumers are increasingly valuing price and value over the origin.

Dennis Dahlhoff, the author of the report and head of marketing and communications research at the Conference Board, said: "The country of origin factor remains important, but its influence is weakening. As concerns about prices intensify, many American consumers seem to associate the 'made in' label with high prices, because domestic production costs in the United States are generally high, while goods made abroad are also subject to tariffs. Compared to emotional affinity for certain countries (including their own), consumers are increasingly prioritizing value and affordability."

The shift in consumer loyalty can also be attributed to artificial intelligence. Joe Huddyka, author of the book "The AI Ecosystem Revolution," believes that artificial intelligence is leading us from a world where brands just wait for you to shop to a world where brands predict your needs, deliver products quickly to you, and win your trust.

Huddyka said predictive artificial intelligence has mastered the rules of brand loyalty. He said that in a value-driven economy, when artificial intelligence helps people save money, time, and energy, and reduces frustration, it can deepen trust. However, he also said that if it makes people feel manipulated, it can quickly destroy trust. He believes the real challenge in the age of artificial intelligence is balancing personalization and privacy, and transforming data into transparent, reciprocal value creators rather than one-way manipulation.

This shift can be summarized as an artificial intelligence demand for the "Made in USA" label. Huddyka cited a national study by the company Lightyear, which states that artificial intelligence has been integrated into the daily lives of ordinary Americans and now dominates other factors to consider.

A survey of 1,000 Americans showed that 35% of Americans now use smart tools like ChatGPT, image generators, or Siri every day. For some, it may simply be asking a simple question to a smart speaker. For others, artificial intelligence supports various aspects of their daily lives.

Huddyka believes another factor is the change in how people shop. He said that due to the implementation of tariffs, consumer prices in the United States increased by 2.4% in the past month. He said, "If quality and price are the two biggest factors in deciding whether to purchase a product, consumers may default to buying more American-made products. But the problem is that today's manufacturers are closely connected with the global economy, and even products mainly made in the United States may have parts sourced from overseas."

He believes that in a value-driven economy, predictive artificial intelligence will only enhance brand loyalty because it clearly saves customers money and time without undermining their choice. Huddyka said, "Brand loyalty will remain an important factor, but alternative options recommended by artificial intelligence will raise our awareness of competition. If enough people try and gain a good experience with competitive products, a critical point will emerge, changing the balance of competitive forces." (Translated by Wang Diqing)

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