Overview

• A HigherVisibility study finds Google’s share of general-information searches fell from 73% in February to 66.9% in August 2025, while ChatGPT usage rose from 4.1% to 12.5%.
• Participants cited faster answers, conversational interactions, and fewer ads as key reasons for choosing AI tools over traditional search engines.
• Google remains the go-to for local lookups and quick facts, whereas users favor AI platforms for deeper explanations, analysis, and recommendations.
• Adoption of AI search is broadening beyond Gen Z, with measurable growth among millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers.
• Marketers are urged to optimize for language models and diversify discovery across platforms, as Google promotes AI-powered ad tools such as AI Max and reports AI Overviews increase queries for eligible topics and deliver conversion gains in tests.