Consumers don’t trust the first search result – and AI use surges: Survey

 

With consumers bouncing between Google, AI, and social media, brands must adapt to a fragmented search journey to stay visible and chosen.

Just 11% of U.S. consumers trust the first tool they use when searching online. That means nearly 9 in 10 Americans double-check or expand their search elsewhere “because they don’t trust the first answer,” according to new survey results from digital presence platform Yext.

By the numbers. Discovery is fragmented:

• Traditional search still leads – 45% of U.S. consumers start product research on a search engine.
• But AI tools (15%) and review sites (14%) are fast-rising alternatives.
• Nearly three-quarters (73%) said they’ve used AI-powered search tools more in the past year, and 45% use them daily.
• Consumers still rely on traditional search for sensitive (62%) and everyday (60%) topics.

Social rules for discovery. Social media remains a powerful discovery channel:

• 52% of respondents said they use it to find reviews
• 48% for local recommendations, and 47% for how-to guidance

AI vs. purchase drivers. AI shines for exploration. But when it comes to buying, consumers revert to traditional drivers like price, peer reviews, and product specs.

• 54% use AI for research, 48% for creative ideas, and 43% for analysis.

Six new search personas. Yext identified six consumer types shaping modern discovery:

• The Traditionalist (24%): Trusts established search engines for reliable, structured answers.
• The Price Shopper (21%): Prioritizes deals and efficiency.
• The Explorer (18%): Uses AI to dive deep into new ideas and connections.
• The Creator (15%): Relies on AI for brainstorming and creativity, especially Gen Z.
• The Social Proof Seeker (14%): Needs validation from reviews or influencers.
• The Accidental Searcher (8%): Discovers products by chance through social browsing.

Why we care. Consumers are changing the rules of search, and brands need to keep up (or catch up) to remain visible. As Mark Kabana, VP, Data Innovation at Yext put it: “structured, machine-ready data is your only shot at being chosen – not just seen.”

About the survey. The findings are based on a weighted sample of 1,057 U.S. respondents from a broader survey of 2,237 adults in the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany, conducted March 20 to April 6, by Researchscape International on behalf of Yext. Respondents had to have purchased something online in the past three months and used voice or conversational AI to find information online