AI is changing how Americans search for information. A new Pew Research Center report found that 60% read AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, and about 40% use chatbots to find information.
AI-generated answers now appear across both traditional search results and dedicated chatbot platforms, including tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot, Pew found.
AI summaries reach most searchers. Six in 10 U.S. adults said they’ve read AI summaries at the top of search results, Pew found. Three in 10 said they haven’t.
- Another 10% were unsure, suggesting some users don’t clearly recognize AI summaries in search results.
- Men were slightly more likely than women to report reading them, 63% versus 57%. Adults 65 and older were the least likely age group to read them.
Chatbots are search tools. About half of U.S. adults now use AI chatbots, up from about one-third in 2024. Roughly one in four adults use them daily.
- Searching for information was the most common chatbot use Pew measured. About 40% of U.S. adults use chatbots for search, ahead of entertainment, image and video creation, medical advice, fitness information, news, emotional support, and companionship.
- Work was close behind. Among employed adults, 38% said they use chatbots for job-related tasks.
ChatGPT dominates. ChatGPT remains the most widely used chatbot by a wide margin. Pew found that 44% of U.S. adults now use ChatGPT, up from 34% last year and more than double the share measured in 2023.
- Gemini ranked second, with about a quarter of adults using it. Copilot and Meta AI followed.
- Grok, Claude, and Character.ai had much smaller reach. About one in 10 adults or fewer said they had used each tool.
Why we care. People now find information through traditional results, AI summaries, and chatbot answers. A traditional search ranking may not reflect every place people now find answers.
Dig deeper. AI search adoption rises as consumer trust declines: Study
About the data. Pew Research Center surveyed 5,119 U.S. adults from Feb. 17-23, 2026, through its nationally representative American Trends Panel. The full-sample margin of error was plus or minus 1.6 percentage points.
The report. Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact
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