AI is becoming embedded in consumers’ everyday search behaviour, as adoption and trust for the technology continues to grow, according to the latest research from brand visibility platform, Yext.

Original research of over 2,000 global shoppers in Yext’s report – The Rise of AI Search Archetypes – revealed that 40% of UK consumers now use AI search tools at least once a day to discover, evaluate and choose the brands they shop with.

As adoption continues at a rapid rate, 8 in 10 UK shoppers have increased their AI search use over the past year. Trust is also rising, with 38% now trustful of AI-powered tools, closing the gap between trust in AI and traditional search, which stands at 50%.

“AI search tools are no longer experimental,” Mark Kabana, VP of Data Innovation at Yext, said. “They’ve earned trust by consumers across a wide range of use cases, especially brand discovery, where accuracy and clarity matter.”

However, while AI search is growing, consumers are still researching and discovering products and brands across an array of channels. Just 9% trust the first tool they use online, with 91% of UK consumers using multiple search sources to validate their buying decisions.

Over half (54%) say they often check several search tools to verify results before deciding on a purchase. This underlines the importance of ensuring brand visibility across channels and that product information is both consistent and accurate, wherever and whenever a brand shows up.

“Consumers are using these tools to make real decisions. If your data isn’t structured, consistent and optimised for how modern platforms interpret it, your brand risks becoming invisible to entire segments of your audience,” Kabana added.