AI has changed how consumers shop by speeding up research. But one thing hasn’t changed: shoppers still trust people more than AI.

Levanta’s new Affiliate 3.0 Consumer Report reveals a major shift in how shoppers blend AI tools with human influence. Consumers use AI to explore options, but when it comes time to buy, they still turn to creators, communities, and real experiences to validate their decisions.

The data shows:

The most effective brands are combining AI discovery with authentic human influence to drive measurable conversions.

Affiliate marketing isn’t being replaced by AI, it’s being amplified by it.

Download the full report to see what this means for your brand.

The "Code Red" at OpenAI

The tides have officially turned.

According to a leaked internal memo reported by The Wall Street Journal and The Information, Sam Altman has declared a "Code Red" at OpenAI. The reason? Their unassailable lead is eroding.

Google’s new Gemini 3 and the specialized Nano Banana models are not just "catching up"—they are dominating.

While the internet was busy trying to get ChatGPT to write better emails, Google quietly solved a much harder problem: The Creative Agency.

The benchmarks show that the new Nano Banana model has blown past competitors in multimodal tasks. It doesn't just "make pictures." It understands lighting, texture, typography, and layout in a way that makes Midjourney look like a toy.

Why this matters for your business

This shift creates a massive opportunity for business owners. We have the most powerful visual engine in history at our fingertips, yet most people are still prompting like it’s 2023. They type: "Make me a picture of a burger."

And they get a cartoon.

To replace a human designer, you cannot treat the AI like a slot machine. You have to treat it like a System. You have to speak its language.

The secret to Nano Banana isn't "asking nicely." It is JSON.

By using structured JSON templates, we can force the AI to adhere to strict brand guidelines, specific lighting setups, and exact compositional rules.

The Proof is in the Pixels

I have been testing this exhaustively. The results are not just "good for AI"—they are indistinguishable from professional photography.

Take a look at this Fast Food poster:

This isn't a hallucination. It creates the grunge texture, the specific font weight, and the appetizing lighting perfectly.

Now, look at this beauty advertisement:

Notice the skin texture? Standard AI smooths everything into plastic. This prompt captures "editorial" reality and handles complex typography layouts without breaking a sweat.

And finally, check the detailing on this:

It nails the nostalgia, the depth of field, and even adds handwritten doodle overlays that look authentic.

These images would cost $500 - $2,000 each if you hired a photographer and a graphic designer. I generated them all in seconds using a copy-and-paste code.

The Nano Banana Prompt Library (Free Download)

I don't want you to just read about this; I want you to execute it.

I have compiled the exact JSON Source Code used to generate the images above into a PDF library.

It includes 11 ready-to-use templates, including:

You do not need to be a coder. You just need to copy the block of text, paste it into the model, and change the subject (e.g., change "Burrito" to "Pizza").

Click here to download the Prompt Library for free.

The "Code Red" at OpenAI is a green light for your business. The barrier to entry for high-end creative work has just collapsed.

Stop waiting on designers. Start building.

John Peslar