FirstPromoter has released a 2026 report from Vilnius, Lithuania, arguing that affiliate marketing is being reshaped by two fast-moving changes: AI-generated fake publishers and the rise of ChatGPT as a sales channel that many companies still do not measure well. The report suggests that both trends are creating blind spots for affiliate programs.
According to the company, AI has made it easier and cheaper to create fake publisher sites that can look legitimate enough to enter affiliate programs and collect payouts. That raises the risk that brands may be spending on low-quality or fraudulent partners while believing they are growing through genuine publisher relationships.
At the same time, the report says ChatGPT is becoming an overlooked source of customer discovery and conversions. In FirstPromoter’s view, many marketers still track search, social and referral traffic in familiar ways, but do not fully account for how AI assistants may influence buying decisions or direct users toward certain brands and publishers.
The broader warning in the report is competitive: while some businesses are still dealing with fake affiliates, rivals may be building relationships with publishers that AI tools are more likely to surface or rely on. FirstPromoter positions this as a shift in affiliate strategy, where fraud prevention and visibility into AI-driven sales are becoming more important for program growth.
