A new survey shows that the majority of ChatGPT users in the U.S. treat the AI more like a search engine than a personal assistant. According to Adobe, 77% of users turn to ChatGPT to find information quickly and easily, with nearly one in four making it their first choice over Google for searches.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has talked about ChatGPT as a powerful AI that could act as a “co-pilot for life,” learning and anticipating users’ needs. However, most people use it simply to ask basic questions or get quick answers.
About 55% use ChatGPT for general inquiries, while 53% seek creative ideas. Smaller groups rely on it for financial advice or shopping help.
Users appreciate ChatGPT for summarizing information fast, needing fewer clicks, and feeling more personal than traditional search engines.
Around 30% of users even trust ChatGPT more than Google or Bing. Still, the AI has some downsides, like lacking citations and sometimes not having real-time data, meaning users often double-check results.
This shift toward AI-powered search is notable, and it has pushed Google to add more AI features to its platform. While OpenAI continues developing advanced AI tools, most users seem content with simple, practical uses like asking quick questions or getting recommendations.
