Google remains go-to search engine over AI tools

Key stat: Over half (57.8%) of US consumers prefer to use Google search over AI platforms like ChatGPT when they need a factual answer, according to a December 2024 survey from Pearl conducted by Censuswide.

Beyond the chart:

• A quarter of non-AI users in the US say they don’t use AI search because they don’t trust it to provide accurate or relatable information, per the same survey.
• The number of generative AI (genAI) users in the US will rise 16.8% this year to reach 116.8 million, or 34.0% of the population, according to a June 2024 EMARKETER forecast.

Use this chart: Marketers can use this chart to illustrate that Google is still the go-to source for factual searches, suggesting Google SEO and search ads should remain a priority. However, the chart can also be used to show the emergence of alternative search channels, which should be factored into search strategy.

Related EMARKETER charts:

• Generative AI Trends to Watch in 2025 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• US Consumer Sentiment Survey: AI Adoption (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the February 2025 Pearl report titled "The AI Accountability & Trust Report" conducted by Censuswide. 2,000 US teens and adults ages 16+ were surveyed during December 17-20, 2024. The survey used a nationally representative sample. The confidence interval was 2.19 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Pearl is an AI search platform that integrates a large language model (LLM) with a network of human experts.