• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer, Yesterday

Brands are thriving as AI reshapes discovery of products and services.

The technology no longer acts solely as a research tool -- it has become a brand discovery engine.

Data released today shows how AI continues to reshape the ways people discover brands, evaluate options and make decisions. It reveals clear shifts in search behavior across markets and generations.

Yext based the study on responses from 2,237 consumers across the U.S., the U.K., France, and Germany who recently used conversational or voice AI tools to find information online. The survey was conducted from March 20 through April 6, 2025 by Researchscape International on behalf of Yext.

The findings were made more interesting based on actual transactions. Adults surveyed had made a purchase online within the past three months and used voice search such as Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, or conversational AI like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude to find information online.

Some 62% who participated in the survey said they trust AI to help them evaluate brands, closing the gap on credibility long attributed to traditional search engines. But 57% still prefer traditional search engines when researching personal, medical or financial topics.

Interestingly, only 10% of consumers searching for answers trust the first result and feel they must cross-check data across tools, raising the importance of consistency across all types of content, paid and earned media.

AI search is now an everyday behavior for nearly half of consumers, with 43% saying they use AI search tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini daily, reflecting the growing integration of AI into routine online behavior.

About 75% report using new search tools more today than they did a year ago.

AI ranks second when a consumer needs a quick answer, with 29% turning to AI first when they need fast and factual responses. Traditional search rank higher on the list at 53%, far ahead of social media at 9%.

Generations view search different, which is not a surprise. Gen X balances trust in traditional search but use AI tools for deeper context and content summaries.

Some 70% still using traditional search engines for general knowledge, while 44% prefer AI for in-depth explanations and 39% for content summaries.

Gen Z treats search as an idea engine, not just a fact finder.

Ata 48%, Gen Z is the most likely generation to use AI for brainstorming, while some 48% use it as how-to guidance, 45% use social media and 42% use search engines to spark ideas. 

Millennials lead in cross-platform searches, with 55% saying they favor AI for quick, clear insights compared with traditional search

Some 56% use social media heavily for general knowledge, and 69% frequently rely on search engines for product and service details.

Baby Boomers rely on traditional engines for general knowledge and are hesitant to adopt AI tools. Some 80% use search engines for general knowledge and 68% for navigation, but 26% surveyed do not use AI tools at all for common tasks.