Search Behaviour Statistics UK 2026

Statistics 21–30 — Search Intent, Trust & Decision Behaviour

Search behaviour does not end when a user enters a query.

Consumers must decide which result to trust, which result to click and whether the information they encounter appears independent, commercial, relevant or credible.

This makes search behaviour partly a question of interpretation.

Two users can see exactly the same search results and make very different decisions based on their understanding of advertising, ranking, familiarity and trust.

21. 63% of adults believe some search results will be accurate while others will not

This is substantially higher than the minority who assume appearing in search results automatically indicates accuracy.

The finding suggests that most users understand search results as a collection of possible sources rather than a list of equally reliable answers.

Search implication: Ranking creates visibility, but users may still evaluate the organisation, source and evidence before accepting what they find.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

22. 11% of adults say they click search results simply because they “like the look of” them

The figure had increased from 6% in the previous year’s research.

This illustrates the role that appearance, familiarity, wording and perceived relevance can play in result selection.

Behaviour implication: Search decisions are not always based on detailed source verification; presentation can materially influence which result receives the click.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

23. 25% of users associated top sponsored results with being the “best” or most relevant

Respondents had been shown a Google search for walking boots in which the first four results were labelled sponsored.

The finding shows that commercial placement can sometimes be interpreted as a signal of relevance.

Paid-search implication: Users do not necessarily interpret search-result ordering using the same distinctions that marketers make between paid and organic visibility.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

24. 24% associated sponsored search placement with popularity

Again, this demonstrates that users can attribute ranking position to characteristics other than advertising.

Prominence itself may therefore influence perceived importance or popularity even where the placement is commercial.

Decision implication: Search-result position can shape perception before a user has evaluated the underlying page or business.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

25. 81% of online adults feel confident they can recognise online advertising

This level of self-reported confidence appears high.

However, Ofcom’s practical search-result test shows that actual ability does not always align with that confidence.

Research implication: Asking users whether they understand search advertising can produce a different picture from testing whether they identify it correctly in practice.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

26. 72% of online adults feel confident judging whether online information is true or false

Confidence in evaluating information was lower than general confidence as an internet user, which stood at 89%.

This distinction matters because search increasingly exposes users to information from publishers, businesses, social platforms and AI-generated systems with differing levels of reliability.

Trust implication: Digital familiarity does not automatically mean users feel equally confident assessing the accuracy of the information they encounter.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

27. Only 45% of search-engine users were both confident and correct when identifying sponsored search results

This is considerably lower than the 81% who said they felt confident recognising advertising.

The gap between perceived ability and tested performance is important when interpreting consumer search behaviour.

Search-literacy implication: Self-reported understanding of the search results page can overstate actual recognition of commercial placement.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

28. 37% were confident they could recognise advertising but failed the sponsored-search test

Ofcom describes this as a “confident but not able” group.

This is one of the more important behavioural findings in the report because it shows that search-result interpretation is not necessarily improved simply by users feeling digitally experienced.

Marketing implication: Businesses should not assume that every consumer clearly distinguishes organic ranking, advertising and other forms of search presentation.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

29. 47% of 25–34-year-old search users were confident about recognising advertising but incorrect

The equivalent figure was 42% among 35–44-year-olds and 41% among 16–24-year-olds.

Younger adults therefore did not necessarily perform better simply because they tend to use digital services frequently.

Behaviour implication: High levels of online activity should not automatically be interpreted as high levels of search literacy.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

30. 59% of search users aged 65–74 correctly identified paid search results

Adults aged 55–64 were close behind at 58%.

These older groups outperformed younger users in identifying that the prominent results were advertisements.

This challenges the assumption that younger, heavier internet users necessarily understand every aspect of modern search interfaces better than older consumers.

Research implication: Search behaviour varies by age, but greater digital usage does not automatically produce stronger critical interpretation of search results.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

Statistics 31–40 — AI Search, ChatGPT & Conversational Discovery

Artificial intelligence is beginning to change both the interface and the behaviour of online search.

Users increasingly encounter AI-generated answers inside conventional search engines while also actively using standalone systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity.

The significance of this change is not simply that another digital platform has appeared.

AI search changes the structure of the search interaction itself.

Instead of entering a short query, reviewing a list of links and selecting a webpage, users can increasingly ask longer questions, receive a synthesised answer and continue the interaction through follow-up prompts.

31. Around 30% of Google searches now display an AI Overview

AI Overviews place a generated summary above or alongside traditional search results.

This changes search behaviour because users may obtain an answer before deciding whether to visit an external website.

The search-results page therefore increasingly acts as both a navigation interface and an answer interface.

Search implication: Organic visibility increasingly includes the possibility of being represented within an AI-generated answer as well as ranking as a conventional link.

Source: Ofcom, Online Nation 2025.

32. 53% of UK adults say they often see AI-generated search summaries

This is important because most users are not necessarily making a deliberate decision to switch from traditional search to AI search.

AI-generated answers are increasingly appearing inside search experiences they already use.

Behaviour implication: AI search adoption can occur passively through changes to mainstream search interfaces as well as actively through standalone AI tools.

Source: Ofcom, From Apps to AI Search: How the UK Goes Online in 2025.

33. ChatGPT recorded 1.8 billion UK visits in the first eight months of 2025

The scale demonstrates that conversational AI has moved beyond a niche technology audience.

Visits do not tell us what every user was doing, and should therefore not be treated as 1.8 billion searches.

However, the data demonstrates the rapidly growing role of conversational AI within the UK’s wider information ecosystem.

Source: Ofcom, Online Nation 2025.

34. ChatGPT UK visits increased from 368 million to 1.8 billion within one year

That means measured visits were almost five times as high year on year.

Few search-related behavioural shifts have occurred at this speed in recent years.

Discovery implication: Conversational AI has developed sufficient scale that businesses should treat it as an emerging information-discovery environment rather than an experimental edge case.

Source: Ofcom, Online Nation 2025.

35. 15.8 million UK online adults visited a major AI chatbot in June 2025

That represented approximately 32% of the UK online adult population.

The measured services were:

• ChatGPT.
• Microsoft Copilot.
• Google Gemini.
• DeepSeek.
• Perplexity.
• Claude.ai.
• Grok.

Ofcom explicitly notes that these audience numbers do not indicate how many users were specifically conducting searches within the tools.

Source: Ofcom, The Era of Answer Engines, citing Ipsos iris.

36. ChatGPT alone reached 13 million UK online adults in June 2025

This represented approximately 26% of the UK online adult population.

ChatGPT had substantially greater standalone reach than the other individual AI chatbots included in Ofcom’s comparison.

Copilot reached approximately 2.6 million adults, while Gemini reached approximately 1.7 million.

Search implication: ChatGPT has developed an audience large enough for brand and information visibility within the platform to become commercially relevant to many organisations.

Source: Ofcom / Ipsos iris, The Era of Answer Engines.

37. 59% of UK adults recently used some form of generative AI

The DSIT definition includes generative text and speech systems, image or media generation, and certain workplace AI systems.

It should therefore not be interpreted as meaning that 59% of UK adults use AI specifically for search.

Nevertheless, the statistic establishes that interaction with generative systems has become mainstream.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026.

38. Generative AI usage exceeds 75% among UK adults under 45

Usage declines substantially among older age groups, reaching 18% among adults aged 75–84 and 8% among those aged 85 or over.

This age gradient matters because emerging search behaviour is unlikely to develop at the same rate across the whole population.

Search implication: Younger and middle-aged audiences are currently more exposed to AI-mediated information and conversational interfaces than the oldest consumer groups.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026.

39. 75% of generative-AI users in the DSIT online sample use AI at least weekly

A further 35% reported using them at least daily.

This suggests that AI use is becoming habitual among many adopters rather than consisting solely of occasional experimentation.

The survey also found that 48% of these users employed AI to summarise or explain something, an activity closely related to information discovery.

Behaviour implication: Conversational interaction with AI is becoming part of regular digital routines for a substantial proportion of users.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026. The frequency figures apply to generative-AI users within the survey’s online sample.

40. Early Google AI Mode users ask questions two to three times longer than traditional search queries

Google introduced AI Mode in the UK in July 2025.

The interface is designed for longer, more complex questions and follow-up interactions.

A conventional search might be:

SEO agency Manchester

A conversational query can instead become:

Which Manchester SEO agencies specialise in B2B organisations, publish original AI-search research and have experience with enterprise technical SEO?

These longer queries contain considerably more context about what the user actually wants.

Search implication: Conversational search can move search optimisation away from isolated keywords and towards understanding detailed needs, entities, attributes and decision criteria.

Source: Google UK, Introducing AI Mode in the UK, July 2025.

Statistics 41–50 — Changing Search Journeys, Verification & Emerging Behaviour

The final ten statistics show that the most important change in UK search behaviour is not simply the arrival of another search interface.

It is the growing tension between convenience and verification.

AI-generated answers can make information faster to access, summarise and interpret. At the same time, UK consumers remain concerned about accuracy, misleading information and their ability to distinguish machine-generated material from human-created content.

Search behaviour is therefore increasingly likely to involve both answer consumption and source evaluation.

41. 54% of UK adults say they use AI tools, up from 31% a year earlier

This represents a substantial year-on-year increase in reported AI use.

The figure should not be interpreted as meaning that 54% use AI specifically for search. It measures AI-tool usage more broadly.

Nevertheless, the speed of adoption is relevant because AI tools increasingly include search, summarisation, recommendation and information-retrieval capabilities.

Behaviour implication: AI-mediated information access is moving rapidly from early adoption towards mainstream digital behaviour.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

42. 75% of UK online adults read AI-generated search summaries at least sometimes

This is broader than the proportion who say they encounter such summaries often.

It demonstrates that AI-generated search content has already become part of the search experience for a large majority of online adults.

Search implication: AI summaries are increasingly part of mainstream search-result consumption rather than a specialist feature used only by technology enthusiasts.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

43. 57% of adults aware of AI would trust AI-generated news less than a human-written story

This demonstrates that increasing exposure to AI-generated information does not automatically produce equivalent trust.

Users may value speed and convenience while still attaching importance to human authorship, source reputation and verification.

Trust implication: AI-generated answers do not eliminate the importance of identifiable, credible underlying sources.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

44. Only 44% of adults feel confident identifying AI-generated content

Ofcom describes confidence in this area as mixed rather than universal.

As generative text, imagery, audio and video become more realistic, identifying whether information has been generated or modified by AI may become increasingly difficult.

Search implication: Users may need to evaluate the credibility of the source and evidence rather than relying only on whether they believe they can recognise AI-generated material visually or linguistically.

Source: Ofcom, Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026.

45. 88% of UK adults are concerned about harmful AI-generated content

Combined, this means 88% expressed some level of concern.

Concern was evident across age groups, including younger adults who are among the heaviest adopters of generative AI.

Behaviour implication: High adoption and high concern can exist simultaneously. Consumers may use AI regularly while remaining cautious about the information it produces.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026.

46. 74% of UK adults are concerned that AI-generated information may be inaccurate

Accuracy was the most frequently identified AI risk in the DSIT research.

This is particularly relevant to search because users increasingly encounter generated answers before visiting an external source.

Verification implication: Organisations that publish transparent, sourceable and factually robust information may become increasingly valuable within AI-mediated search journeys.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026.

47. 64% are concerned AI could spread false or misleading information

This concern goes beyond individual factual errors.

It reflects the possibility that inaccurate information can be generated, reproduced and distributed at scale.

Search implication: Source reputation, corroboration and evidence may become increasingly important as generated answers become easier to produce and distribute.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026.

48. 57% are concerned AI could negatively affect people’s ability to think critically or creatively

This has implications for search behaviour because answer engines can reduce the effort required to locate, compare and synthesise information.

That convenience can be valuable, but it may also change how often users inspect primary sources or consider competing viewpoints.

Behaviour implication: The future of search is likely to involve an ongoing balance between answer convenience and active information evaluation.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026.

49. 47% of UK adults see easier access to information or advice as a benefit of AI

It was the most commonly identified AI benefit overall in the DSIT research.

This directly explains part of AI’s relevance to search.

Users can ask a natural-language question and receive a summarised response without manually reviewing numerous websites first.

Search implication: Convenience and lower information-retrieval effort are powerful drivers of AI-assisted search adoption.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026.

50. 48% of generative-AI users use AI to summarise or explain information

This is one of the clearest behavioural connections between generative AI and conventional information search.

Instead of simply locating documents, users can ask AI systems to interpret, condense or explain the information for them.

The role of the search interface therefore begins to move from:

“Find me information”

to

“Find, summarise and explain this information for me”

Search implication: Search behaviour is expanding from document retrieval towards interpretation and synthesis.

Source: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026. This figure applies to generative-AI users represented in the online sample.

CGO Media Analysis — What the 50 Search Behaviour Statistics Tell Us

Taken together, the 50 statistics show that UK search behaviour is becoming more complex without making traditional search irrelevant.

Google still reaches most online adults and processes billions of searches, but the search journey is increasingly distributed across smartphones, maps, apps, AI-generated summaries, conversational assistants, social platforms and other discovery environments.

The strongest shift is therefore not from “search” to “no search”.

It is from a relatively simple search-engine journey towards a broader, multi-interface discovery system.

1. Traditional Search Remains Deeply Embedded

The first ten statistics establish that search engines remain a fundamental part of everyday UK online behaviour.

Internet usage is near-universal, search-engine usage is almost universal among online adults, and Google continues to operate at enormous scale.

This matters because discussion around AI search can sometimes imply that conventional search has already been displaced.

The evidence does not support that conclusion.

2. Search Is Becoming More Mobile and Contextual

Smartphones dominate personal internet access and account for the majority of measured online time.

That changes the context in which people search.

Queries can now occur while:

• Travelling.
• Shopping.
• Comparing local services.
• Watching video.
• Using social media.
• Navigating through maps.

Search increasingly happens at the moment a need emerges rather than at a fixed desktop session.

3. Maps and Apps Are Part of Search Behaviour

Google Maps reaches a large majority of UK adult smartphone users, while consumers routinely use dozens of apps every month.

This demonstrates that search does not always begin on a conventional search-engine results page.

A user looking for a business may begin directly inside:

• Google Maps.
• Amazon.
• YouTube.
• A social platform.
• A retailer app.
• An AI assistant.

4. Search Result Position Influences Perception

The behavioural evidence around sponsored results shows that users do not interpret search interfaces purely analytically.

Prominent placement can be associated with:

• Relevance.
• Popularity.
• Quality.
• Commercial prominence.

This matters because visibility can shape perception before the user has evaluated the underlying content.

5. Digital Confidence Does Not Equal Search Literacy

One of the strongest findings in the research is the gap between self-reported confidence and tested ability.

Many users say they are confident recognising online advertising, yet substantially fewer correctly identify paid search placements when tested.

This difference is visible even among younger adults who are heavy digital users.

6. Ranking Creates Visibility but Not Automatic Trust

Only a minority of adults believe that a website appearing in search results must contain accurate and unbiased information.

Most users recognise that search results contain sources of varying quality.

This means organisations need more than ranking position alone.

Trust can also depend on:

• Brand familiarity.
• Evidence.
• Expertise.
• Reviews.
• Source transparency.
• Third-party authority.

7. AI Is Changing Search Without Replacing Google

AI-generated summaries now appear within conventional search, while standalone AI assistants have developed substantial UK audiences.

The significance is that consumers are not necessarily choosing between two completely separate behaviours.

They may:

• Search Google.
• Read an AI Overview.
• Open a cited source.
• Ask ChatGPT a follow-up question.
• Return to conventional search.

The boundaries between search engines and answer engines are therefore becoming increasingly blurred.

8. Search Queries Are Becoming More Conversational

AI interfaces enable users to express far more context than conventional short keyword searches.

Instead of reducing a need to a few words, users can specify:

• Location.
• Budget.
• Industry.
• Preferences.
• Constraints.
• Comparison criteria.

Longer conversational queries can therefore expose much more information about real search intent.

9. Search Is Shifting From Retrieval Towards Interpretation

A conventional search engine primarily helps users locate information.

Generative AI can increasingly:

• Find information.
• Summarise it.
• Compare it.
• Explain it.
• Answer follow-up questions.

That changes the role of the search interface.

Users may increasingly expect the system to perform part of the research process rather than merely direct them towards documents.

10. Convenience and Trust Are Developing in Parallel

Consumers clearly value AI’s ability to make information easier to access.

At the same time, concern about inaccurate and misleading information remains high.

This creates a search environment in which convenience and scepticism can coexist.

A user may accept an AI-generated summary as a starting point while still wanting to verify:

• The source.
• The organisation.
• The evidence.
• The publication date.
• The expertise behind the claim.

What UK Businesses Should Do in 2026

The 50 search behaviour statistics show that UK businesses need to think beyond conventional rankings without abandoning them.

Traditional search still matters enormously, but discovery is increasingly spread across mobile devices, maps, AI-generated summaries, conversational assistants, marketplaces, social platforms and video.

The strongest strategy is therefore to build visibility across the wider search ecosystem while improving the trust and clarity of the information users find.

1. Protect Traditional Organic Search Visibility

Google still reaches most UK online adults and processes billions of searches every month.

Businesses should therefore continue investing in the foundations of organic search:

• Technical SEO.
• Crawlability.
• Indexation.
• Site architecture.
• Internal linking.
• Content relevance.
• Page speed.
• Mobile usability.

2. Build for Conversational Queries

AI-assisted search allows users to ask longer and more specific questions.

Businesses should therefore create content that answers complete decision criteria rather than targeting only short keyword phrases.

Useful content should address:

• Who the service is for.
• Location.
• Industry.
• Price or budget considerations.
• Use cases.
• Comparisons.
• Advantages and limitations.
• Evidence and proof.

3. Strengthen Local and Maps Visibility

Google Maps reaches a large majority of UK adult smartphone users.

For local organisations, Maps can therefore be a search environment in its own right.

Businesses should keep the following accurate and current:

• Business name.
• Address.
• Phone number.
• Opening hours.
• Categories.
• Services.
• Images.
• Reviews.

4. Improve Mobile Search Experiences

Smartphones account for most measured personal online time, and a significant minority of online adults rely solely on a smartphone for internet access.

Businesses should ensure that mobile users can quickly:

• Understand the proposition.
• Read content.
• Navigate the site.
• Find contact details.
• Complete forms.
• Call or message.
• Make purchases.

5. Make Important Information Explicit

AI systems and search engines work more effectively when important information is clear, consistent and easy to interpret.

Businesses should make core information explicit, including:

• Who the organisation is.
• What it does.
• Where it operates.
• Who it serves.
• What makes it different.
• Who its experts are.
• What evidence supports its claims.

6. Build Source Authority

The statistics show that users do not automatically trust information simply because it appears in search results or an AI answer.

Useful authority signals include:

• Original research.
• Named authors and experts.
• Methodology.
• Primary data.
• Independent citations.
• Media references.
• Current publication dates.
• Transparent corrections and updates.

7. Optimise for AI Answers Without Writing for Machines

AI Overviews and conversational assistants increasingly synthesise information from multiple sources.

Content that is easier to understand and verify may be more useful within those systems.

Businesses should prioritise:

• Clear headings.
• Direct factual answers.
• Concise definitions.
• Evidence.
• Structured comparisons.
• Consistent entity information.
• Strong source attribution.

This should not result in robotic or repetitive content.

8. Make Verification Easy

Concerns about inaccurate and misleading AI information create an opportunity for organisations that make evidence easy to inspect.

Useful verification elements include:

• Source links.
• Research dates.
• Named methodology.
• Author credentials.
• References.
• Data tables.
• Clearly marked updates.

9. Measure More Than Traditional Rankings

Ranking positions remain useful, but they do not capture the whole modern search journey.

Where measurement is possible, businesses should also consider:

• Organic traffic.
• Branded search demand.
• Local visibility.
• Google Business Profile interactions.
• AI referral traffic.
• AI citations.
• Lead quality.
• Conversion rate.

10. Build for the Entire Search Journey

The modern user may move between several environments before making a decision.

A journey might look like:

No single touchpoint necessarily explains the whole decision.

Search Behaviour Trends UK 2026–2027

The evidence across the 50 statistics suggests that UK search behaviour will continue to change through 2026 and 2027, but not through a simple replacement of search engines by AI assistants.

The more likely direction is a gradual convergence of conventional search, AI-generated answers, maps, mobile applications, social discovery and conversational interfaces.

The trends below are therefore presented as evidence-led directions rather than guaranteed predictions.

Trend 1 — Traditional Search Remains Resilient

Google continues to reach most UK online adults and processes billions of searches every month.

That scale makes rapid abandonment of conventional search unlikely.

Instead, search engines are themselves evolving by incorporating generative AI and conversational functionality.

Trend 2 — AI Overviews Become a Normal Part of Search

AI-generated summaries already appear across a substantial proportion of searches, and most online adults encounter them at least sometimes.

As users become more familiar with generated summaries, the search-results page increasingly operates as both an answer destination and a gateway to external sources.

Trend 3 — Conversational Queries Become Longer and More Specific

AI interfaces allow users to express intent with far greater detail than short conventional keyword searches.

Queries increasingly include:

• Context.
• Budget.
• Location.
• Preferences.
• Constraints.
• Comparison criteria.

This can create richer signals about what the user actually wants.

Trend 4 — Search Moves From Retrieval Towards Synthesis

Conventional search largely helped users locate documents.

Generative search can increasingly:

• Find information.
• Summarise it.
• Compare options.
• Explain concepts.
• Generate recommendations.

The interface therefore performs more of the research process itself.

Trend 5 — Mobile Search Becomes Even More Contextual

Smartphones already account for most measured online time.

That means search increasingly happens while users are moving between physical and digital environments.

Location, maps, opening hours, availability, reviews and proximity therefore become increasingly relevant to the search journey.

Trend 6 — Maps Become a Larger Discovery Surface

Google Maps already reaches most UK adult smartphone users.

For many local journeys, a map interface can answer the key questions immediately:

• Where is it?
• Is it open?
• How is it reviewed?
• How far away is it?
• Can I call or navigate there?

Trend 7 — Multi-Platform Search Journeys Become More Normal

Consumers increasingly move between platforms before making a decision.

A search journey can involve:

• Google.
• YouTube.
• Social media.
• Maps.
• Marketplaces.
• ChatGPT or another AI assistant.

This weakens the idea that one platform owns the entire search journey.

Trend 8 — Source Authority Becomes More Important

AI-generated information offers convenience, but concern about accuracy and misinformation remains high.

This creates greater potential value for:

• Original research.
• Named experts.
• Primary data.
• Methodology.
• Independent references.
• Clear publication dates.

Trend 9 — Verification Becomes Part of the Search Journey

If users are uncertain about AI-generated answers, they may increasingly inspect the cited sources behind them.

This creates a new form of search behaviour:

Trend 10 — Rankings Become One Visibility Metric Among Several

Traditional ranking positions will remain important, but they increasingly describe only one part of search visibility.

Businesses may also need to assess:

• AI Overview inclusion.
• AI citations.
• Google Maps visibility.
• Branded search demand.
• Video discovery.
• Marketplace visibility.
• Referral traffic from AI systems.

Research Methodology & Limitations

This report was prepared by the CGO Media Research Team to provide an evidence-led overview of search behaviour in the UK in 2026.

The research combines official government statistics, independent audience measurement, media-literacy research and first-party platform data across five main areas:

• UK search usage and online behaviour.
• Devices, mobile access and maps.
• Search intent, trust and decision behaviour.
• AI search, ChatGPT and conversational discovery.
• Changing search journeys, verification and emerging behaviour.

The aim is not to create a single composite measure of “UK search behaviour”.

Instead, the report brings together 50 separate data points that describe how people access search, interpret results, use mobile devices, engage with AI and assess trust across different discovery environments.

Primary Research Sources

CGO Media prioritised primary or near-primary research wherever possible.

Principal sources include:

• Ofcom.
• Office for National Statistics where relevant.
• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
• Ipsos iris.
• Google first-party documentation for AI Mode and search-product behaviour.

Secondary SEO blogs, marketing round-ups and statistics aggregation pages were not treated as primary evidence where the original source could be identified.

Internet Usage Measures

Internet-access and frequency statistics in this report are based primarily on the UK Government’s Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026.

These figures measure self-reported internet use within defined periods.

They should not be interpreted as direct measures of search-engine activity.

Search-Engine Usage

Search-engine usage figures come primarily from Ofcom’s media-use research and passive audience measurement reported through Ipsos iris.

These datasets can answer different questions:

• Whether people report using a search engine.
• How many people visit a search service.
• How many page views or interactions occur.

These measures are related but not interchangeable.

Google Search Volume

This report uses Ofcom’s estimate of approximately three billion Google searches per month in the UK.

Separate Ipsos iris data shows nearly nine billion Google Search page views among UK adults in October 2025.

These two figures measure different activities.

A page view is not necessarily equivalent to an individual search query.

Audience Reach

Several statistics use Ipsos iris audience measurement as reported by Ofcom.

These figures estimate the proportion or number of people using websites, applications or online services during a defined period.

Audience reach should not be interpreted as proof of a specific user intention.

For example, visiting ChatGPT does not establish that the user was conducting a search.

Smartphone and Device Usage

Smartphone availability, app usage and online-time statistics describe the device environment within which search increasingly occurs.

They do not establish that all smartphone time is search activity.

The data is used to show why search behaviour increasingly occurs within mobile, app-based and location-aware environments.

Maps and Local Discovery

Google Maps usage is treated as a form of local discovery infrastructure rather than conventional web search.

Maps can help users find businesses, locations, opening hours, reviews and directions without necessarily visiting a search-engine results page.

The report therefore includes Maps within the wider discovery ecosystem while keeping it methodologically distinct from web search.

Search Literacy and Trust

One of the most important source sets in this report comes from Ofcom’s Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes research.

This includes both:

• Self-reported confidence.
• Tested interpretation of search-result advertising.

These measures are intentionally kept separate.

A user may say they are confident recognising online advertising and still fail to identify sponsored search results correctly when tested.

Generative AI Usage

AI adoption statistics in this report come from both Ofcom and DSIT.

Their methodologies and definitions are not identical.

For example, one study may ask broadly about AI-tool usage while another asks about specific categories of generative AI used within the previous three months.

These percentages should therefore not be presented as if they were directly comparable measurements of exactly the same behaviour.

AI Chatbot Audience Versus AI Search

Ofcom reports audience reach for major AI-chatbot platforms including ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and others.

These platforms support search and information discovery, but they are also used for:

• Writing.
• Brainstorming.
• Coding.
• Image creation.
• Summarisation.
• Work assistance.

For this reason, chatbot visitors are not labelled as AI-search users unless the underlying study measures search behaviour specifically.

AI Overviews

The report uses Ofcom evidence indicating that AI-generated Overviews appear across approximately 30% of searches and that substantial numbers of adults encounter or read generated search summaries.

These figures describe the prevalence and visibility of AI-generated search experiences.

They do not establish that every user trusts, clicks or acts upon the generated summary.

Google AI Mode Query Length

The statistic showing AI Mode questions at approximately two to three times the length of traditional queries originates from Google.

It is therefore first-party platform evidence.

The figure is useful for understanding behaviour within AI Mode, but it should not automatically be generalised to every AI-search interface or the entire UK population.

Trust and AI Accuracy

Public concern about AI-generated information is used in this report to understand the trust environment surrounding AI-assisted search.

Concern about inaccuracy does not prove that every user verifies AI answers, nor does it mean all AI-generated information is considered unreliable.

It demonstrates that trust remains a meaningful issue even as AI adoption increases.

Age Differences

Several statistics demonstrate material differences by age in:

• Smartphone access.
• AI adoption.
• App usage.
• Recognition of sponsored search results.

Age should therefore be treated as a relevant segmentation variable when interpreting search behaviour.

However, the findings also caution against simplistic assumptions that younger users always understand digital interfaces better than older users.

Correlation and Causation

The report identifies several trends occurring at the same time:

• High traditional search usage.
• Growing AI adoption.
• Increasing exposure to AI-generated search answers.
• Heavy smartphone usage.
• Strong concern about AI accuracy.

These relationships should not automatically be interpreted as direct causation.

For example, growth in ChatGPT usage does not by itself prove that conventional search usage has fallen by the same amount.

Research Limitations

The principal limitations of this report include:

• Different sources use different measurement periods.
• Some measures are self-reported while others are passively measured.
• Search reach, visits, page views and query volume are not identical metrics.
• AI-tool usage does not automatically equal AI-search usage.
• AI products and interfaces are changing rapidly.
• Platform companies may use proprietary measurement methodologies.
• Some search behaviours cannot be observed fully across closed apps or private sessions.
• User intent cannot always be inferred from platform usage alone.
• Audience behaviour differs materially by age and device.
• Forecast-style trend analysis is interpretive rather than guaranteed.

These limitations do not make the data unusable.

They define the boundaries within which the evidence should be interpreted.

Frequently Asked Questions — Search Behaviour Statistics UK 2026

The questions below address some of the most important issues surrounding UK search behaviour, Google Search, mobile discovery, AI Overviews, ChatGPT, conversational search, trust and changing information-retrieval behaviour in 2026.

1. How widely used are search engines in the UK?

Search engines remain close to universal among UK online adults.

Ofcom’s 2026 research found that 96% of UK online adults had used a search engine during the previous 12 months.

2. How important is Google Search in the UK?

Google Search continues to operate at very large scale.

It reached 82% of UK online adults in May 2025, while Ofcom estimates that around three billion Google searches take place in the UK each month.

Ipsos iris also measured nearly nine billion Google Search page views among UK adults in October 2025.

3. Is traditional search declining because of AI?

The available evidence does not support the idea that traditional search has disappeared or become marginal.

Google still processes billions of UK searches every month while AI functionality is increasingly being integrated into conventional search itself.

The clearer trend is convergence rather than straightforward replacement.

4. What percentage of Google searches show AI Overviews?

Ofcom reports that approximately 30% of searches display an AI Overview.

These generated summaries can appear before traditional organic results and can answer parts of a query without requiring an immediate website visit.

5. How many UK adults encounter AI-generated search summaries?

Ofcom reports that 53% of UK adults say they often encounter AI-generated search summaries.

Its 2026 research also found that 75% of online adults read AI-generated search summaries at least sometimes.

6. How popular is ChatGPT in the UK?

ChatGPT reached approximately 13 million UK online adults in June 2025, equivalent to around 26% of the online adult population measured by Ipsos iris.

Ofcom also reports 1.8 billion UK ChatGPT visits during the first eight months of 2025.

These visits include activities beyond search, so they should not be described as 1.8 billion search queries.

7. Are people replacing Google with ChatGPT?

Some users are clearly using ChatGPT for information discovery, but the evidence does not establish a complete substitution of Google Search.

Users can move between both environments depending on the task.

A person may use ChatGPT for explanation or comparison and Google for maps, current sources, navigation or further verification.

8. Are search queries becoming longer?

Within Google’s AI Mode, yes.

Google reports that early AI Mode questions are approximately two to three times longer than traditional search queries.

Conversational interfaces allow users to express more context, preferences and constraints within a single question.

9. How important are smartphones to search behaviour?

Smartphones are central to modern UK search behaviour.

93% of adults have access to a smartphone for personal use, and smartphones account for most measured personal online time.

One in five UK online adults also relies solely on a smartphone for internet access.

10. How important is Google Maps for local search?

Google Maps reached 77% of UK adult smartphone users in Ofcom’s May 2025 measurement.

That gives it substantial importance for local discovery, navigation and business selection.

Users can evaluate businesses through location, reviews, opening hours and directions without beginning with a traditional web result.

11. Do users understand which Google results are advertisements?

Not always.

In Ofcom’s practical search test, only 52% of search-engine users correctly identified sponsored Google results as paid placements.

Some users instead associated the prominent positions with relevance or popularity.

12. Do people automatically trust websites because they rank in search results?

No.

Only 17% of adults said they believed appearing in search results meant a website would contain accurate and unbiased information.

Most users recognised that some search results would be reliable while others would not.

13. Are younger users better at understanding search results?

Not necessarily.

Ofcom’s sponsored-search test found a substantial gap between confidence and actual ability among younger adults.

47% of search users aged 25–34 were confident that they could identify advertising but failed to identify the sponsored results correctly.

Older groups performed comparatively well in recognising paid placement.

14. Do UK consumers trust AI-generated information?

Trust is mixed.

AI adoption is high, but 74% of UK adults are concerned about inaccurate AI-generated information and 64% identify false or misleading information as a risk.

Ofcom also found that 57% of adults aware of AI would trust an AI-generated news story less than a human-written equivalent.

15. Why do people use AI for search and information discovery?

Convenience is an important factor.

47% of UK adults identified easier access to information or advice as a benefit of AI.

Among generative-AI users represented in DSIT’s online sample, 48% used AI to summarise or explain information.

16. What should UK businesses prioritise for search visibility in 2026?

There is no single tactic suitable for every organisation, but the evidence supports several broad priorities:

• Maintain strong traditional SEO.
• Improve mobile usability.
• Strengthen local and Maps visibility where relevant.
• Answer conversational search intent.
• Publish credible, sourceable information.
• Improve entity clarity.
• Measure AI and multi-platform discovery where possible.

Conclusion — Search Behaviour Statistics UK 2026

The evidence across the 50 statistics shows that search remains one of the most important digital behaviours in the UK, but the way people search is becoming more varied, more conversational and more distributed across platforms.

Google continues to dominate conventional search usage, smartphones now shape much of the search context, Maps has become a major local-discovery surface, and AI-generated answers are increasingly becoming part of mainstream search behaviour.

The most important change is therefore not the disappearance of search.

It is the expansion of search into a wider discovery ecosystem.

Traditional Search Remains Fundamental

Search-engine usage remains close to universal among UK online adults.

Google continues to reach most of the online population and processes billions of searches every month.

That scale means traditional search remains essential for businesses seeking visibility.

Search Is Increasingly Mobile and Location-Aware

Smartphones account for most measured personal online time, and Google Maps reaches a large majority of adult smartphone users.

This means many search journeys now occur in real-world contexts involving location, proximity, reviews, navigation and immediate intent.

For local businesses, search visibility increasingly includes Maps and business-profile visibility alongside conventional rankings.

Users Interpret Search Results Differently

The research also shows that users do not always understand or interpret search results in the same way.

Some users associate prominent sponsored results with popularity or relevance, while many remain only partially able to distinguish paid placement from organic visibility.

This makes search behaviour partly a question of perception, not only ranking.

AI Is Expanding the Search Interface

AI-generated summaries are increasingly integrated into search engines, while standalone AI assistants have developed large UK audiences.

This adds a new layer to the search journey.

Users can now move between conventional search results, generated summaries and conversational answers without treating those experiences as entirely separate systems.

Search Is Becoming More Conversational

Longer AI-assisted queries allow users to describe what they want with more context.

That shifts optimisation away from isolated keywords and towards understanding:

• User needs.
• Attributes.
• Entities.
• Preferences.
• Decision criteria.

For businesses, this increases the value of detailed, well-structured information that answers real questions rather than simply repeating target keywords.

Search Is Shifting From Retrieval Towards Explanation

Generative AI changes the role of the search interface.

Instead of only helping users locate information, it can also summarise, explain and compare that information.

This means businesses increasingly compete not only to rank, but to become useful sources within generated answers.

Trust and Verification Remain Central

Consumers value the convenience of AI, but concern about inaccurate and misleading information remains high.

That makes authority, transparency and verification increasingly important.

Useful trust signals include:

• Original research.
• Named experts.
• Transparent methodology.
• Current publication dates.
• Primary evidence.
• Independent citations.

Research Usage, Citation & Press

CGO Media publishes search, AI and digital-behaviour research to support journalists, businesses, researchers, analysts and organisations examining how people discover, evaluate and verify information online.

The statistics and analysis contained within this report may be referenced in editorial coverage, academic work, industry research, presentations and commercial analysis, provided the original source and relevant research context are retained.

Using Individual Statistics

Where an individual statistic originates from Ofcom, Ipsos iris, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Google or another external organisation, CGO Media recommends citing the original research as the primary source wherever practical.

CGO Media may be cited for the selection, organisation, comparison and interpretation of that evidence within the wider context of UK search behaviour.

Using CGO Media Analysis

The analytical sections of this report — including the Search Behaviour Model, practical recommendations, search trends and interpretation of the 50 statistics — represent CGO Media Research Team analysis.

Journalists, publishers and researchers may quote or summarise these findings with attribution to:

Press & Media Enquiries

Journalists, editors, broadcasters, researchers and industry publications requiring additional commentary or clarification can use the dedicated CGO Media Press & Media area.

Relevant enquiry topics include:

• UK search behaviour.
• Google Search usage.
• AI Overviews.
• ChatGPT and conversational search.
• Search intent and user behaviour.
• Search-result trust.
• Mobile and local discovery.
• Google Maps.
• AI-generated answers.
• Search literacy.
• Source authority and verification.
• Future search behaviour.

Research Methodology

CGO Media publishes a dedicated Research Methodology explaining how sources are selected, checked and interpreted across the wider research programme.

The methodology addresses:

• Source selection.
• Primary versus secondary evidence.
• Audience measurement.
• Platform-reported data.
• Research limitations.
• Geographic context.
• Responsible interpretation.

View the CGO Media Research Methodology

Research Updates

Search behaviour is changing quickly.

Google interfaces, AI Overviews, conversational search products, AI-chatbot audiences, mobile behaviour and user attitudes can change materially over relatively short periods.

CGO Media therefore reviews search-behaviour evidence as new datasets and official research become available.

Readers quoting individual statistics should preserve the original date, population, geography and methodology of the underlying source.

Editorial & Research Attribution

This report was prepared and reviewed by the CGO Media Research Team as part of CGO Media’s wider research programme examining search behaviour, SEO, GEO, AI search, source selection, entity authority, citation authority and changing digital discovery.

The report combines external evidence with CGO Media analysis to examine how UK search behaviour is changing across conventional search, mobile discovery, maps, AI-generated answers and conversational assistants.

Sources & References

The Search Behaviour Statistics UK 2026 report draws primarily on Ofcom, Ipsos iris, the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and first-party Google documentation.

CGO Media prioritised original research and official evidence rather than relying on third-party statistics pages where the underlying source could be identified.

1. Ofcom — Online Nation 2025

Publisher: Ofcom
Publication: Online Nation 2025
Geography: United Kingdom
Research area: Search, apps, mobile behaviour, maps and online audiences

This is one of the principal sources used throughout the report.

Relevant evidence includes:

• Google Search reach.
• Estimated monthly UK Google searches.
• Search use among children.
• Daily time spent online.
• Smartphone share of online time.
• Monthly app usage.
• Google Maps reach.
• ChatGPT traffic growth.
• AI Overview exposure.

View Ofcom Online Nation 2025

2. Ofcom — Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026

Publisher: Ofcom
Publication: Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes 2026
Published: 2026
Geography: United Kingdom
Research area: Search literacy, media understanding, online trust and AI use

This source provides several of the strongest behavioural measures in the report because it includes both self-reported confidence and practical interpretation tests.

Relevant evidence includes:

• Search-engine use.
• Google Search page views.
• Recognition of sponsored search results.
• Perceptions of search-result accuracy.
• Confidence identifying online advertising.
• Confidence assessing whether information is true or false.
• Age differences in recognising paid search results.
• Smartphone-only internet access.
• AI-tool usage.
• Reading AI-generated search summaries.
• Confidence identifying AI-generated content.
• Trust in AI-generated news.

View Ofcom Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes

3. Ofcom — The Era of Answer Engines

Publisher: Ofcom
Publication: The Era of Answer Engines: Generative AI’s Impact on Search Experiences and Online Safety
Research area: AI chatbots, answer engines and changing search behaviour

The publication examines how generative AI is changing the way users search for, receive and interpret information online.

It includes Ipsos iris audience measurements for major AI chatbot services including:

• ChatGPT.
• Microsoft Copilot.
• Google Gemini.
• Perplexity.
• Claude.ai.
• DeepSeek.
• Grok.

View Ofcom — The Era of Answer Engines

4. Ipsos iris — UK Online Audience Measurement

Research organisation: Ipsos
Dataset: Ipsos iris
Geography: United Kingdom

Ipsos iris provides passive audience measurement across websites and applications and is cited extensively by Ofcom.

It supports audience and usage figures relating to:

• Google Search.
• Google Maps.
• YouTube.
• ChatGPT.
• Other AI chatbot services.
• Smartphone and app usage.

CGO Media cites Ipsos iris through the corresponding Ofcom publications where those figures are reported.

5. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology — Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026

Publisher: UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Publication: DSIT Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026
Published: 2026
Population: UK adults

The survey provides official UK evidence on internet use, devices, artificial intelligence adoption and attitudes towards AI.

Relevant evidence includes:

• Internet usage within the previous three months.
• Daily internet use.
• Internet use at home.
• Smartphone access.
• Age differences in smartphone access.
• 5G use.
• Generative-AI adoption.
• Age differences in AI usage.
• Frequency of AI use.
• AI use for summarising or explaining information.
• Concern about inaccurate AI information.
• Concern about misleading information.
• Concern about harmful AI-generated content.
• Perceived benefits of easier information access.

View DSIT Public Engagement Survey 2025/2026

6. Google UK — AI Mode in Search

Publisher: Google UK
Publication: AI Mode in Search — UK Launch
Published: July 2025
Research area: Conversational search and query behaviour

Google’s first-party documentation is used to support discussion of how search behaviour changes inside AI Mode.

Google reported that early AI Mode users asked questions approximately two to three times longer than conventional search queries.

View Google UK AI Mode Announcement

Source Hierarchy Used by CGO Media

CGO Media applied the following hierarchy when selecting evidence for this report:

Unsourced SEO statistics pages, third-party round-ups and marketing claims were not treated as primary evidence where an original source could be identified.

Research Review Date

Research reviewed: September 2026

Prepared by: CGO Media Research Team

Search behaviour, AI-search interfaces and generative-AI adoption remain fast-moving areas.

Statistics should therefore be reviewed periodically as new Ofcom, government, audience-measurement and platform evidence becomes available.