Search is evolving. Popular AI model ChatGPT has introduced its own search function. Traditional search engines have introduced AI-powered search features. There’s no doubt that search looks wildly different than it did even five years ago. But how has this changing landscape impacted user behavior? Are people leaving Google for newer AI-powered options? We talk about what has changed – and what hasn’t – below.
Adobe recently conducted a survey of 1,000 people in the U.S. to examine the shifts in how we search. One thing they discovered was that people tend to use ChatGPT when they need help with an “everyday” question, or want creative inspiration. In contrast, online shopping and brand discovery were towards the bottom of the list of reasons people may use ChatGPT.
The majority of people surveyed in the U.S. by Adobe said that they have used ChatGPT as a search engine, with nearly a quarter of them saying that they prefer to use it over Google. Gen X had the most people report using ChatGPT for search, but Gen Z wasn’t far behind. In fact, over a quarter of people from Gen Z surveyed indicated that they begin their searches using ChatGPT over other platforms, like Google or Bing.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, AI summaries like the ones Google provides reduces the need to click on websites for more information. According to one study by Pew Research Center, those who see an AI summary click on a link almost half as much as those who do not.
Brands are taking notice of the increase in AI search usage, and two-thirds of those surveyed by Adobe plan to focus on strategies that will increase their presence in AI search results.
According to a study by Nielsen Norman Group, people do not use AI for search without also referring to another source to fact-check or explore a topic further. In fact, none of the participants in the study relied solely on AI, even those with a lot of experience using it.
Despite the boom in ChatGPT Search usage, Google still dominates as people’s go-to search engine. According to Search Engine Land, 95% of people still use traditional search engines, and 87% are considered “heavy Google users”.
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