Google’s role in everyday information seeking is shrinking, while AI tools – particularly ChatGPT – are quickly gaining ground. That’s according to a new Higher Visibility survey of 1,500 U.S. users.
By the numbers. Google’s share of general information searches fell from 73% in February to 66.9% in August.
Other survey findings:
ChatGPT use nearly tripled, from 4.1% to 12.5% of respondents.
Daily AI tool use doubled, from 14% to 29%.
Platform switching is up, with 35% saying they’ve changed how they search, compared to 28% in February.
Mainstream adoption of, and experimentation with, AI tools is accelerating. The number of people using AI tools daily increased from 14% to 29.2%. Meanwhile, “never” users dropped from 28% to 16%
Younger users are leading the way, blending TikTok, Instagram and ChatGPT into their search habits.
In local search – traditionally Google’s stronghold – AI use doubled to 10%.
Why we care. AI tools are reshaping how users discover, compare, and consume information. Search behavior is fractured, which means SEOs cannot rely on Google Search alone (though, to be clear, SEO for Google remains as critical as ever). Therefore, SEO/GEO strategies now must account for visibility across multiple AI platforms.
About the data. The findings compare two identical surveys of 1,500 U.S.-based participants conducted in February and August. Respondents spanned a range of ages, regions, and demographics, allowing Higher Visibility to track trends over time with consistency and validity.
The report. How People Search Today: A Study on Evolving Search Behaviors in 2025
MarTech is owned by Semrush. We remain committed to providing high-quality coverage of marketing topics. Unless otherwise noted, this page’s content was written by either an employee or a paid contractor of Semrush Inc.
About the author
Danny Goodwin is Editorial Director of Search Engine Land & Search Marketing Expo – SMX. He joined Search Engine Land in 2022 as Senior Editor. In addition to reporting on the latest search marketing news, he manages Search Engine Land’s SME (Subject Matter Expert) program. He also helps program U.S. SMX events.
Goodwin has been editing and writing about the latest developments and trends in search and digital marketing since 2007. He previously was Executive Editor of Search Engine Journal (from 2017 to 2022), managing editor of Momentology (from 2014-2016) and editor of Search Engine Watch (from 2007 to 2014). He has spoken at many major search conferences and virtual events, and has been sourced for his expertise by a wide range of publications and podcasts.