Yext Consumer Search Behaviors Report

The AI search tipping point has already happened

We surveyed 1,120 US adults in March 2026 about how they find local businesses, which platforms they trust, and what drives them to act. The findings challenge widely held assumptions about AI adoption — and point to what brands need to get right before the next wave hits.

Used AI for local search

Key stats

• 47% of US adults used AI for local search last month
• 59% of daily local searchers have migrated to AI
• 61% use AI as much or more than last year — adoption isn't plateauing
• 15 pts spread across all categories — no category is safe to ignore
• 53% vs. 49% Google — at $150k–$175k income, AI has overtaken Google as starting point
• 61% vs. 57% Google — at $175k–$200k, the gap widens further

The findings

What Yext's 2026 Consumer Search Behaviors Report reveals about AI and local discovery

01

AI Adoption

Key stats

• 54% of 30–44 year-olds used AI — highest of any age group
• 4.11/5 trust score among 30–44 year-olds — highest of any age group
• 48% of 18–29 AI users say they're using it less than a year ago
• 10% of 45–60 year-olds act directly on AI recommendations — the highest rate
• 82% of non-adopters at $175k–$200k likely to try AI in the next 6 months

02

Demographics

Key stats

• 47% use AI for quick recommendations; 47% for thorough pre-decision research
• 43% use AI for category discovery and comparison shopping
• 41% use AI for deal and value finding
• 69% of AI users trust AI recommendations overall

03

Customer Journey

Key stats

• 93%+ of AI users take at least one verification step before acting
• 74% rate trust in AI recommendations at 4 or 5 out of 5
• 62% search Google immediately after an AI recommendation
• 58% visit the business website directly

04

Verification Behavior

Key stats

• 34% cite star rating as their #1 purchase influencer after AI
• 30% word of mouth
• 29% review recency influences their decision

05

Closing the Deal

Key stats

• 40% start their local search on social — the #2 channel overall
• 28% check a brand's social profiles after receiving an AI recommendation

06

Social Media

Key stats

• 53% of US adults have not yet used AI for local search
• 43% top barrier: current approach works fine
• 38% haven't thought about it — habit, not skepticism

What's Next

Key stats

• 60% of daily-searching non-adopters likely to try in 6 months
• 82% of $175k–$200k non-adopters likely to try within six months

The bottom line

Our research shows that brands who win this shift won't be those that pick a single platform — AI or otherwise — and optimize for it. They'll be those who show up during multi-phase AI conversations, whose data is accurate everywhere customers look for verification, and whose reviews are fresh at every location.