83% of Users Prefer AI Search Over Traditional Google Searches
The research indicates that AI search tools are gaining momentum by providing answers in plain language, summarising complex information, and eliminating the need to navigate through pages of SEO-driven content.
Are traditional search engines losing their edge?
A new trend suggests they are. As more users turn to conversational AI for faster, more relevant answers, traditional search engines are feeling the pressure. A recent survey conducted by Innovating with AI reveals that 83% of respondents find AI search tools more efficient than traditional search engines.
The survey of frequent AI search users highlights a dramatic shift in how consumers are finding information online. The survey findings come at a time when traditional search is experiencing notable disruption.
According to data from Statcounter cited in the report, Google’s global market share fell below 90% for the first time since 2015 in October 2024, with the growing popularity of AI-driven search tools like ChatGPT, Grok, and Perplexity AI likely contributing to this decline.
Users Favour Relevance and Efficiency
The convenience and speed of AI search tools are driving a major shift in search behaviour. A growing majority of users now prefer AI-driven search experiences for their efficiency and ease of use. According to the report;
- 91% of frequent AI search users utilise popular large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT for their internet searches.
- 83% of users find AI search tools more efficient than traditional search.
- Users cite the ability to receive cohesive responses without clicking through multiple links as a primary advantage.
“AI snippets answer my questions more efficiently and equally accurately at least 75% of the time, and they’re only going to improve,” said Rob Howard, CEO of Innovating with AI.
“This is a good thing for consumers, because there were tons of ethical problems with SEO content, which was often predicated on commissions from products featured on popular pages.”
The research indicates that AI search tools are gaining momentum by providing answers in plain language, summarising complex information, and eliminating the need to navigate through pages of SEO-driven content.
Traditional search engines are now responding by incorporating AI-generated summaries into their own results, with Google’s AI overviews reaching 1.5 billion monthly active users.
Challenges Remain, But AI Complements Search
The study also identifies challenges facing AI search adoption. The major among them is AI hallucinations, where LLMs generate wrong or misleading information.
Research cited in the report shows that even advanced models can produce false information up to 33% of the time, leading some users to continue relying on traditional search for fact-critical queries.
Still, experts suggest that AI search represents an evolution rather than a replacement of traditional search methods. The technology excels at answering exploratory questions and summarising unfamiliar topics, while traditional search maintains advantages for browsing current news and accessing sources.
Chris Andrew, CEO and Co-Founder of Scrunch AI, “Google is challenging its own business model as they figure out new ways to monetise AI overviews. It might not happen overnight, but we will see a world where the traditional kind of search results will get pushed further down or become completely irrelevant.”
As AI search continues to improve in accuracy and usability, it’s clear that it will become a permanent fixture of the search ecosystem.
The future is not AI versus traditional search, but a hybrid model delivering a smarter, more seamless experience.
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