Consumers Are Abandoning Traditional Search Faster Than Brands Expect, New Study Finds

The full 2026 AI & Search Behavior Study is available for download here.

More than one-third of consumers now begin their digital search journeys with AI tools rather than Google or other search engines, signaling a fundamental shift in how people discover information, evaluate brands, and make purchase decisions. According to Eight Oh Two Marketing’s newly released 2026 AI & Search Behavior Study, 37% of active AI users say they start searches in platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot. Consumers say they are drawn by AI’s faster answers, clearer explanations, and less clutter than results delivered by traditional search engines. The research suggests brands will rapidly lose visibility if they remain optimized only for link-based search.

The study, which surveyed 500 active AI users, also reveals that search behavior is evolving into a two-step process. While consumers increasingly rely on AI to frame their initial understanding and shape brand perceptions, 85% still double-check AI-generated information through search engines. In this new journey, AI sparks intent and trust, while traditional search validates details—reshaping where and how brands must compete for attention.

Additional findings of the comprehensive study underscore growing consumer frustration with conventional search experiences. Forty percent of respondents say they are tired of clicking through multiple links to find answers, while nearly half (47%) report that AI-generated summaries influence which brands they trust first. That same percentage say they have already used AI to help make a purchase decision, particularly for everyday items, technology, fashion, and financial products. Looking ahead, 59% believe AI will become their primary search tool in the near future.

“Search is chaotic, but strategy shouldn’t be,” says Robert Langenback, president of Eight Oh Two Marketing. “This data makes the inflection point impossible to ignore. If brands aren’t optimized for AI-driven discovery, they’re already losing visibility. Search is no longer just a list of links, it’s the answer users see first.”

Eight Oh Two Marketing specializes in AI-ready search strategy across paid and organic channels, combining human expertise with intelligent automation to help brands remain visible as search behavior evolves. With an unheard of seven-year average client tenure and more than $1 billion in revenue in 2025, Eight Oh Two Marketing continues to lead the industry in performance search and emerging AI-driven visibility.

Source: Eight Oh Two Marketing

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