How is AI changing the way people search for information?Download the full report

AI assistants are becoming a bigger part of how people find information online, but have they supplanted search engines as the go-to option for online queries?

In YouGov’s U.S. web search and AI report 2026, we explore how consumers are using AI assistants alongside traditional search, where AI fits into the search journey, and what still holds people back from relying on it.

Drawing on a YouGov survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, the report reveals how search habits are evolving, where AI delivers the most value, and why trust remains the defining challenge for AI-powered search.

Download the full report to learn:

  • How are people using search engines, AI assistants and other platforms to find information online?
  • Where do AI assistants fit into the search journey, and which tasks are people using them for?
  • Why does trust remain the biggest barrier to wider AI adoption?
  • How does AI search behavior differ across generations?
  • What do current AI users and non-users expect from AI search over the next 12 months?
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