AI tools used for more and more searching and browsing activity

AI is becoming indispensable

In March, 57 per cent of the respondents to our survey said that they use AI tools on a daily basis. That’s up from 37 per cent a year earlier. And 83 per cent of those who were already using AI a year ago are now using it more – implying that panel members’ usage has increased more than they themselves expected. The way AI is used is also changing. Whereas a year ago respondents saw AI mainly as an extra tool, it’s now regarded as essential. A year ago, only 6 per cent of survey respondents said that AI was indispensable for their work, but now the figure is 30 per cent.

AI saves time, but it’s an unreliable alternative to search engines

Like last year, we asked people how they rated AI as an alternative to traditional search engines. And we learnt that they think AI is faster, but less reliable and less up to date. Many of our respondents use AI to as a quick first step towards getting the info they want. They then go elsewhere to check what AI says or get details. AI tools are popular because they’re efficient, but many users make a point of verifying or quality-checking AI responses.

Less use of informative websites

A direct question about website visits revealed that, for many respondents, the use of AI tools leads to fewer website visits. Of the respondents who answered the question, 57 per cent report visiting websites and using apps less than they did a year ago, because of using AI tools instead. Given that many SIDN Panel members have IT backgrounds, it’s not surprising that the websites our respondents are visiting less are mainly development sites such as PHP.net and Stack Overflow. That finding is very much in line with the sharp decline in traffic that Stack Overflow experienced last year.

Online investment: most expect no change, some foresee growth

Our 2026 survey featured a new question about how respondents expected AI to affect their investment in online activities. And it seems that AI is likely to have a slight positive effect. While most thought their investment behaviour wouldn’t be influenced by AI, a quarter envisaged investing more. Only 3 per cent said they would cut back. Organisations apparently think that AI will help them generate bigger online returns.

Worries about reliability and privacy remain

Although respondents see AI as valuable, they also have concerns, just as they did a year ago. In 2025, 32 per cent of people said they were worried about privacy, disinformation and hallucinations. Responses to this year’s open question highlight similar issues. Respondents mainly mention reliability (incorrect or fabricated information), privacy and data use, and a few refer to abuse (phishing, deepfakes, etc), dependency and energy consumption.

What it all means for websites and domain names

For website owners, the key question isn’t whether AI influences website visitor traffic, but where in the customer or information process the shift occurs. Our results point mainly to substitution in the orientation and explanation phase: the stage where people used to open multiple pages in order to compile answers. That points to the role of the website changing from information dissemination site to transaction site. Users will look elsewhere to identify the service they want, then go to the provider’s site to get it.

Measuring where the effect is

Our survey shows that organisations need to change the way they view their website traffic. Measurement is vital. Which pages are getting less traffic? What content continues to draw visitors? And why? We intend to continue monitoring this issue, because changing internet use has direct implications for the ecosystem around websites and domain names.