Consumer research from Equativ, the end-to-end media platform, unveils how consumers are interacting with AI platforms in its survey titled, The Impact Of AI On The Consumer’s Browsing Behaviour.

Consumers are increasingly relying on AI for product discovery, answers, and summarisation, which shows that AI is reshaping information-seeking habits — especially in younger and digitally native groups.

Key findings of the report for UK-based respondents include: 

• 72 per cent are open to relevant sponsored results, especially during product research.
• 84 per cent of consumers use AI tools, with 74 per cent engaging weekly or more, signalling AI’s move into mainstream, everyday behaviour.
• 68 per cent of users trust AI overall, but most verify important details, indicating measured reliance.
• Quick facts (63 per cent), learning, and content creation are the top use cases, showing AI’s role as a daily productivity partner.
• 40 per cent now turn to AI first for information, nearly rivalling search engines (44 per cent).

The data reveals that consumers are also aware that ‘free’ AI comes with a trade-off: they’ll see more ads. Most users would accept ad-supported AI models rather than pay. But they expect these ads to be part of an ethical and user-friendly design. This trend aligns with a broader industry shift toward ‘native’ or contextual advertising within generative AI experiences.

The survey gathered the insights of over 4,000 adult respondents across six countries in North America and Europe to understand awareness, usage, and perceptions of AI, and how these factors are shaping their browsing habits and interactions with digital content for consumers.

With the rise of AI platforms, consumers are increasingly turning away from traditional search engines for their questions. People want fast, short and efficient answers as opposed to long articles or complex searches.

“It’s impressive how AI has disrupted online consumer behavior faster than any technology. For 20 years, people searched online the same way — and within months, AI platforms have started to transform how we access information.” commented Ben Skinazi, Chief Marketing Officer at Equativ.  “Ads will inevitably follow, but success depends on when and how they’re introduced. Our research showed that consumers are open to ads in AI platforms, provided they’re transparent, respectful, and bring true value to them. If the industry gets this balance right, we’re on the turning point of one of the biggest shifts our industry has ever seen.”

The survey was commissioned by Equativ and fielded in July 2025, among 4,000 adults ages 18-55+. Respondents were selected from an opt-in online panel. Questions were focused on five key topic areas: Awareness & Adoption, Usage Frequency & Habits, Expectations & Gaps, Advertising & Commercial Content, and Changing Behaviours. Data represents the opinions of respondents

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Categories: AI, Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Press Releases, Research

Tags: AI, Equativ, UK