EMARKETER: heavy AI users rely on Google Search more, not less
New EMARKETER data shows the heaviest AI users are also the heaviest Google searchers.
Mariano De Vitto · July 2026
A useful counter to the death of search narrative comes from EMARKETER. In a May 2026 survey, 82 percent of weekly AI users said they use Google Search every day, compared with 71 percent of all internet users.
In other words, the heaviest AI users are also the heaviest searchers.
AI is not replacing search so much as splitting the job. People lean on assistants for a fast direct answer to a specific question, and on search engines for browsing, comparing sources and transactional intent.
The implication for marketers is to stop framing AI and search as either or. Brands need to show up in both, with content structured to be cited inside AI answers and still competitive in traditional results.
The tactical work is familiar, clear question led pages, strong sourcing and schema, but the mindset shift is to plan for a two front visibility game rather than betting the SEO program on one channel.
Source: EMARKETER Chart of the Day, July 27, 2026.
The Signal Brief · Mariano De Vitto — Head of Marketing, Barcelona