Despite the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across industries, traditional search engines like Google continue to dominate how consumers find local businesses, according to a new consumer survey released by Youtech, a global full-service digital marketing agency.
The study reveals that 93.2% of consumers still trust Google more than AI assistants when it comes to discovering local businesses—underscoring a critical trust and functionality gap that AI platforms must overcome to compete in the local search landscape.
“Consumers value reliability and comprehensiveness in their local search experiences,” said Wilbur You, CEO of Youtech. “AI shows potential, but it’s not yet equipped to replace traditional search engines for this use case. The results make it clear—until AI improves its accuracy and integrates seamlessly with tools like maps, its adoption will remain limited.”
Marketing Technology Insights: Varicent and ServiceNow Team up for Next-Gen Revenue Execution
Key Insights from the Survey
Despite the growing visibility of AI assistants, traditional tools still dominate the landscape of local business discovery. An overwhelming 93.2% of respondents prefer using Google Search when looking for nearby businesses, indicating the stronghold that conventional search engines continue to maintain.
When it comes to what people are searching for, Restaurants & Food topped the list at 88%, followed by Home Improvement services (55.3%) and Automotive services (42%). These categories highlight where convenience and proximity play a critical role in consumer decision-making.
However, AI usage in local discovery is still in its early stages. A notable 56.7% of users have never used an AI assistant for this purpose. Only 27.3% reported using one in the past week, showing limited adoption so far.
Respondents pointed out specific improvement areas for AI tools. The most desired upgrades include more accurate, real-time data (39.1%), and better integration with maps and navigation apps (15%)—indicating a need for practical functionality that matches or exceeds what current tools offer.
When it comes to concerns, 31.7% of users expressed discomfort with the lack of a “human touch” in AI interactions, while 28.3% were frustrated with outdated or incorrect information, which can quickly erode trust in digital assistants.
Marketing Technology Insights: Redpoint Global Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape
Consumers identified the most valuable information for making local decisions as reviews, business hours, photos, and detailed service descriptions. Furthermore, 9% of respondents highlighted real-time features like online booking as essential to their experience—underscoring a growing expectation for convenience and immediacy in local search tools.
“Local search is evolving, but trust remains the anchor,” said Michael Norris, CMO of Youtech. “The businesses that succeed will be those who enhance their visibility across both traditional search engines and emerging AI platforms.”
The findings suggest that while AI-driven assistants may eventually become viable tools for local search, they must first overcome issues with data freshness, reliability, and contextual relevance. Until then, Google’s dominance in local search appears firmly intact—but with user interest in AI rising, the competitive landscape is poised for disruption.
Marketing Technology Insights: Pipeliner CRM Celebrates Rapid Expansion with New Products
For media inquiries, you can write to our MarTech Newsroom at sudipto@intentamplify.com
