Internet search is changing: Half of users are already turning to AI chat tools
- 50 per cent of internet users at least occasionally use AI chat tools instead of traditional search engines
- Among 16- to 29-year-olds, the figure rises to two thirds
- 42 per cent have already received incorrect answers, yet only 57 per cent verify the results
Berlin, 20 November 2025 – Entering search terms, clicking through result lists and gathering information – many internet users are taking new approaches and are now turning to AI for direct answers. Half (50 per cent) at least occasionally use an AI chat instead of a traditional internet search. A quarter (25 per cent) still rely predominantly on conventional search engines, 13 per cent use online search and AI chat equally often, while 7 per cent mainly use AI and 5 per cent use it exclusively. By contrast, 47 per cent continue to rely solely on traditional search.
These are the results of a telephone survey of 1,156 people aged 16 and over conducted on behalf of the digital association Bitkom. Among younger internet users aged 16 to 29, AI-based search is even more common: 5 per cent use it exclusively, 11 per cent predominantly, 20 per cent as often as conventional search engines, and 30 per cent at least occasionally. Only 30 per cent rely exclusively on search engines.
“Many people prefer receiving a compact answer from an AI chat rather than clicking through search results and scanning websites for clues to their question,” says Bitkom’s Chief Executive, Dr Bernhard Rohleder. “However, you should not trust AI blindly – results should always be verified.”
Among those who use AI for search, 42 per cent report having received incorrect or entirely fabricated information from it. At the same time, only 57 per cent say they check AI responses before using them. Overall, around three quarters (73 per cent) find AI chat results helpful, and roughly two thirds (64 per cent) are satisfied with using AI for information searches. However, just over one third (36 per cent) feel that AI provides sufficient links to support its answers, and only 33 per cent say it helps them find information faster than traditional search.
Divided opinions on automatic AI summaries in online search
Traditional search engines such as Google and Bing now display AI-generated summaries above the search results. Only 3 per cent of internet users have not yet noticed them, while around a quarter (26 per cent) have seen them but paid little attention. Opinions, however, vary widely.
24 per cent frequently use the AI summary without looking at the search results, while 43 per cent click on the results to form their own view. 45 per cent save time thanks to the summaries, yet 27 per cent find them too superficial, and 22 per cent say they have encountered errors. 8 per cent are simply annoyed by the AI-generated texts.
