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Tag: Consumer Trends

  • Is AI as Popular as It Seems? Insights from New Data

    Is AI as Popular as It Seems? Insights from New Data

    AI core
    Recently, I’ve been exploring the fascinating divergence in AI adoption between professional circles and general consumers. According to Datos and SparkToro’s latest data, this trend is becoming increasingly apparent.

    It was intriguing to see how AI usage is starting to plateau among consumers while remaining on the rise in professional environments. Tools like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini are seemingly more popular in the B2B landscape.

    Why we care. As I delve deeper into AI’s impact, it’s becoming clear that a universal AI strategy won’t work for everyone. It’s essential to identify whether my audience aligns with these broader trends or if their AI engagement habits are entirely different.

    ChatGPT desktop growth slowed. From Fishkin’s analysis, it appears that ChatGPT’s usage in the U.S. has stagnated over recent months while Claude and Gemini continue their growth trajectories. It seems that professionals are continually finding value in these tools.

    ```json { "alt": "Bar chart illustrating AI usage by businesses with varying audience ranks.", "caption": "Exploring AI's prominence in business: A chart highlights how AI usage differs among B2B professionals, possibly influencing LinkedIn activity.", "description": "This image displays a bar chart from a presentation titled 'Rand’s Theory: Maybe AI use is huge with businesses, not consumers.' The chart shows percentages of US B2B professionals who have searched for AI solutions. The bars represent 'Your Audience' and 'US Average' with notable differences in usage across platforms. A red annotation suggests the data may explain LinkedIn's lower engagement in pro-AI search activities. Keywords: AI usage, B2B professionals, LinkedIn, search activity." } ```

    At its zenith, 37% of U.S. desktop users engaged with OpenAI or ChatGPT back in September 2025. This number dipped slightly to 34% by March, a trend mirrored, albeit with higher numbers, in the EU and U.K.

    Claude gained with professionals. I noticed Claude is particularly gaining traction among professional users. Fishkin’s data suggests a significant rise in usage among business professionals, resonating with the notion that AI adoption is stronger in B2B contexts.

    The analysis even revealed that Claude’s use among B2B professionals was 373% higher than the U.S. average, reinforcing the tool’s growing popularity in business circles.

    ```json { "alt": "Bar chart showing the AI usage trends among generic US consumers, comparing your audience to US average with various platforms.", "caption": "Exploring the AI Landscape: A bar chart reveals how generic US consumers engage with AI across different platforms, highlighting your audience's preferences versus the national average.", "description": "This image features a bar chart detailing AI usage among generic US consumers, with a breakdown by platform. The chart compares your audience's engagement level to the US average, highlighting various platforms ranked by usage. The data is visually represented in bars, with colors indicating different audience metrics. The chart is designed for insights into AI usage patterns, offering a visual representation of consumer interactions with technology. This can serve as a crucial resource for understanding market trends and audience behavior in AI technology adoption." } ```

    Consumer audiences look different. Interestingly, when it comes to the retail-shopping consumer audience, ChatGPT isn’t as prevalent, being 15% less likely to be used compared to the typical American consumer. For this group, Claude isn’t even in the top four AI tools.

    This might explain why AI seems so prevalent in professional networks like LinkedIn, while its visibility is not as pronounced among general consumers.

    The research. You can view Rand Fishkin’s detailed insights on LinkedIn by watching his video here.

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    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

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  • Consumers Shifting to AI for Faster Searches Over Google

    Consumers Shifting to AI for Faster Searches Over Google

    I recently came across a fascinating study revealing that 37% of consumers are now starting their searches with AI tools instead of Google. The frustration with traditional search methods seems to be steering many of us towards AI, compelling brands to maintain their visibility and credibility across both platforms.

    Personally, I find it intriguing how AI is reshaping the initial stages of search, impacting how we identify and evaluate brands. This hybrid approach begins with an AI-generated answer, followed by traditional search for confirmation. To keep their credibility intact, brands must ensure consistency across both platforms as the emphasis on visibility, trust, and clarity increases.

    According to the study, over a third of consumers—37% to be exact—are kicking off their searches with AI tools over traditional engines. The appeal lies in the promise of a quicker, clearer answer without the need to sift through ads and multiple links. Users described AI as faster, clearer, and less cluttered.

    Many of us are experiencing what could be termed as ‘traditional search fatigue’. The chief grievances include excessive clicking through links (40%), overwhelming ads and sponsored results (37%), and difficulty in getting straightforward answers (33%). The redundancy of information also ranks high in complaints at 28%.

    AI’s trustworthiness is gaining traction, with six out of ten respondents confident about the superiority of AI-generated answers compared to traditional search. However, a significant portion—85%—still cross-checks AI responses.

    Traditional search engines remain favored for product reviews, current news, multimedia, and health information. Interestingly, nearly half of the consumers trust AI to make brand recommendations, reshaping brand discovery by offering concise lists with brand assessments.

    AI’s influence extends to purchasing decisions as noted by the survey, with consumers using AI to decide on purchases (47%), find best prices (57%), compare products (54%), and even get review summaries (48%). While younger audiences lead this adoption, it actually cuts across all categories from daily items to travel and finance.

    Looking ahead to 2026, it’s expected that AI will continue to grow, with 63% of participants anticipating increased AI usage and nearly half expecting AI to handle comprehensive tasks. Yet, there’s still room for AI to improve in terms of fact-checking, transparency, and context personalization.

    The Eight Oh Two survey canvassed 500 active AI users last November, delving into AI’s role in search behaviors, trust levels, and purchasing influences, giving us a window into the evolving dynamics of search landscapes this year and moving forward.

    For more detailed insights, you can explore the 2026 AI and Search Behavior Study.

    Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

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