• 50 percent of internet users use AI chats at least occasionally instead of traditional search engines
• Among 16- to 29-year-olds, the figure is as high as two-thirds
• 42 percent have already received incorrect answers, only 57 percent check the results

Entering search terms, clicking through hit lists, compiling information – many internet users are breaking new ground and getting answers directly from AI. Half (50 per cent) use AI chat at least sometimes instead of traditional internet searches. A quarter (25 percent) still mainly use traditional search engines, 13 percent use online search and AI chat equally often, but 7 percent mainly use AI, and 5 percent use it exclusively. In contrast, 47 percent still exclusively use traditional search. These are the results of a telephone survey of 1,156 people aged 16 and over commissioned by the digital association Bitkom. Among younger internet users between the ages of 16 and 29, searching with AI is even more widespread: 5 per cent use it exclusively, 11 per cent predominantly, 20 per cent about as often as traditional search engines and 30 per cent at least occasionally. Only 30 per cent rely exclusively on search engines. ‘Many people prefer to use the compact answer from the AI chat rather than clicking through search results themselves and searching websites for clues to their question,’ says Bitkom CEO Dr Bernhard Rohleder. ‘However, you should not blindly trust AI and should always check the results.’ For example, 42 percent of those who use AI for searching say that they have received incorrect or simply fabricated information from AI at some point. At the same time, however, only 57 percent check the AI answers before using them. Overall, around three-quarters (73 per cent) consider the results of AI chats to be helpful, and around two-thirds (64 per cent) are satisfied with the use of AI for information searches. However, only slightly more than a third (36 per cent) believe that AI provides sufficient links to support its answers, and only 33 per cent find answers faster this way than with traditional searches.

Mixed opinions on automatic AI summaries in online searches

Traditional search engines such as Google and Bing now also display AI summaries above the search results. Only 3 per cent of internet users have not yet noticed this, while around a quarter (26 per cent) have seen it but not paid any further attention to it. However, opinions on this vary widely. For example, 24 per cent frequently use the AI summary without looking at the search results. In contrast, 43 per cent click on the search results to form their own opinion. 45 per cent save time with the summaries, but 27 per cent find them too superficial, and 22 per cent have found errors in them. 8 per cent are simply annoyed by the AI-generated texts.

Note on methodology: The information is based on a survey conducted by Bitkom Research on behalf of the digital association Bitkom. A total of 1,156 people in Germany aged 16 and over were surveyed by telephone, including 1,030 internet users. The survey took place between calendar weeks 39 and 43 of 2025. The overall survey is representative. The questions were: ‘Now we want to talk to you about internet searches and artificial intelligence. How often do you use AI such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot compared to traditional internet searches such as Google or Bing to find information?’ ‘Which of the following statements about searching for information with AI apply to you or, in your opinion, are true?’ and ‘With traditional internet searches, for example with Google or Bing, an AI summary is often displayed before the search results. Which of the following statements apply to you?’