Artificial intelligence has moved into the mainstream of everyday internet use. A national poll conducted in July shows that nearly nine in ten U.S. adults read AI-generated summaries when searching online, and more than eight in ten have already used the technology as part of their shopping routine.
The survey, carried out by Centerfield (via SEL), asked over 4,600 people how they interact with AI. About half of those who read summaries in search results still check other sources for confirmation. Forty-one percent follow a source link after reading, while roughly a third say the summary alone is enough.
AI is also becoming part of the buying process. Forty-six percent of respondents said they use it to answer questions about products. Thirty-five percent reported turning to AI to compare brands or to get recommendations. Just under three in ten rely on it to scan customer reviews or locate better prices.
Overall, 89 percent of adults said they have used some form of AI tool or chatbot. That adoption cuts across generations, with use spreading beyond younger, early adopters into older demographics as well.
For businesses, the findings highlight a turning point. The traditional model of attracting clicks from search results is eroding as AI systems provide information directly. Marketing specialists warn that many brands are still unprepared for the shift, even as consumers move quickly toward AI-first habits.
The Centerfield Gen-AI Consumer Survey was designed to reflect the U.S. population by age, sex, ethnicity, income, and housing status. It carries a margin of error of 1.5 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.
Image: Aerps
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References
- ^ Google Accused of Exploiting Publisher Content for AI (www.digitalinformationworld.com)