The key facts

  • 59% constantly alternate between search and AI assistants, and another 37% do so from time to time
  • In basic scenarios, the difference between the tools is 2–3 p.p.
  • For explanations of complex topics, 83% choose AI versus 66% for search

Search and AI work as a pair

Almost all participants of the Online Market Intelligence study use both classic search and AI assistants for everyday tasks: 59% do so constantly, and another 37% do so from time to time. Thus, 96% of respondents use both tools at least periodically. The study results were received by Gazeta.Ru.

The difference is within the margin of error

In basic informational scenarios, the figures for the two tools are almost identical: when looking for a specific answer, 77% of participants use search, while 79% use AI assistants (a 2 p.p. difference); when looking for instructions, it is 75% versus 72%, and when drawing up a shopping list, the shares matched completely — 52% each. OMI emphasized that such discrepancies do not indicate a preference for one tool over the other.

The tools divide tasks rather than displace each other

Interchangeability depends on the type of task. When a ready-made explanation is needed, users more often turn to an AI assistant: 83% of respondents try to understand a complex topic with its help, versus 66% via search. Search, on the contrary, is more often chosen for independently exploring options: 74% compare products with its help versus 59% with AI, and when planning trips — 77% versus 61%. “The study results do not show that one tool is displacing the other: people use search and AI assistants together and turn to each of them depending on the task,” OMI noted.

Context

Earlier, as Gazeta.Ru reported citing an earlier publication, AI has become a standard in communications, yet only 13% of companies assess the effectiveness of its implementation. This shows that mass everyday use of AI tools is outpacing businesses' readiness to measure their returns.