This page consolidates verified UK AI search adoption statistics for 2026 — across general adoption, platform share, B2B and B2C buyer behaviour, sector-by-sector patterns, and demographic gradient. All major statistics are sourced. Updated quarterly.

Headline UK AI Search Adoption Numbers, 2026

Metric 2024 2026
UK adults using generative AI tools (any frequency) 19% 41-46%
UK adults using AI tools weekly 9% 28-31%
UK adults using AI tools daily 3% 17-18%
UK B2B buyers using AI in supplier research 22% 51%
UK Google users seeing AI Overviews on some queries n/a 73%
UK 16-34 weekly AI tool use 27% 67%
UK 65+ weekly AI tool use 4% 14%

Platform Share: Where UK AI Search Actually Happens

UK regular AI search user share, Q1 2026 (multi-platform users counted in each platform):

Platform UK Regular User Share Notes
ChatGPT (incl. SearchGPT) 56-62% Dominant; free tier carries most volume
Google AI Overviews 73% (of Google users see them) Passive surface; not always recognised as “AI search”
Microsoft Copilot 18-22% Strong in enterprise, Edge browser default
Gemini 14-17% Embedded in Workspace, Pixel, Android
Perplexity 11-15% High-intent research users; smaller but professional
Claude (anthropic.com / claude.ai) 6-9% Rising sharply; favoured for considered research
DeepSeek 3-5% Niche, technical user base
You.com 2-3% Niche

Note: ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews are not directly comparable — ChatGPT is an active destination, Overviews is a passive surface inside Google. The 73% figure represents passive exposure; the equivalent active-Overviews-engagement figure is closer to 38-44%.

B2B Buyer Behaviour: How Suppliers Are Now Found

MarGen Q1 2026 UK B2B Buyer Survey (n=540 across professional services, technology, financial services, legal, healthcare, manufacturing, construction):

First research touchpoint for new supplier evaluation:

Number of suppliers evaluated via AI before any direct contact:

Time saved by using AI for initial supplier research (self-reported):

Trust in AI-surfaced supplier recommendations:

The headline implication: AI is now the dominant first research touchpoint for UK B2B supplier evaluation. Whether or not the AI recommendation is the final shortlist, it is the gate. Suppliers not surfaced at this gate are filtered out before any peer or Google evaluation begins.

MarGen UK B2C AI Search Adoption Tracking, Q1 2026 (n=1,200 UK adults):

Use Case % Using AI
Researching purchases over £500 38%
Researching professional services (legal, financial, healthcare) 31%
Travel and hospitality research 27%
Comparing financial products (insurance, mortgages, investments) 26%
Local services research (tradesmen, restaurants, gyms) 18%
Checking news / current events 22%
Health and medical research 24%

Health and medical AI use is notably contested in research — Ofcom tracks substantially higher engagement (40%+ have used AI for health research at least once) but regular use remains lower (24% in MarGen’s panel).

Sector-by-Sector B2B Adoption

UK B2B buyer AI adoption by sector (MarGen Q1 2026 survey):

Sector Buyers Using AI in Supplier Research
Technology / SaaS procurement 76%
Professional services in-house teams 64%
Financial services buyers (CFO, FD level) 58-67%
Legal in-house counsel 64%
Marketing services procurement 71%
Healthcare procurement (clinical and admin) 51%
Education sector procurement 47%
Public sector procurement 38%
Property and real estate 42%
Heavy industry / manufacturing 29%
Construction trades buying 24%
Agriculture 21%

The pattern is clear: education, time-pressure and comfort with digital tools all drive adoption. Sectors where buyers are heavily desk-based knowledge workers show much higher adoption than sectors where buyers are field- or trade-based.

Demographic Patterns

Demographic Daily AI Use Weekly AI Use
16-24 36% 71%
25-34 29% 64%
35-49 22% 51%
50-64 11% 31%
65+ 3% 14%
University-educated 24% 51%
Non-graduate 11% 22%
Income £75k+ household 27% 56%
Income £30k-£75k 17% 38%
Income under £30k 9% 22%

Strong age, education and income gradients. The implication for UK B2B and B2C marketing: AI search adoption is concentrated in the higher-value segments most marketers care about, not evenly distributed across the population.

Regional Adoption Within the UK

Region Weekly AI Use
London 38%
South East 33%
South West 28%
East of England 27%
West Midlands 25%
Yorkshire and Humber 24%
Scotland 25%
North West 24%
East Midlands 23%
North East 21%
Wales 20%
Northern Ireland 19%

London leads, the regions trail by 5-19 points. The gap is consistent with broader digital service adoption patterns.

Source-Cited References

Statistics on this page are reviewed quarterly. Last full review: April 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of UK adults use AI search tools regularly?

41-46% of UK adults use generative AI tools regularly, with daily use at 17-18%. Among 16-34 year olds, weekly use is 67%.

Is AI search replacing Google?

Not replacing — supplementing, with growing share. For B2B supplier evaluation, 51% of UK buyers now report AI tools as their first research touchpoint vs 38% Google.

Which AI platforms have the largest UK share?

ChatGPT 56-62%, Google AI Overviews seen by 73% of Google users, Microsoft Copilot 18-22%, Gemini 14-17%, Perplexity 11-15%, Claude 6-9%.

How does AI search adoption differ by UK B2B sector?

Highest in technology/SaaS (76%), professional services (64%), legal in-house counsel (64%), marketing procurement (71%). Lowest in heavy industry (29%), construction trades (24%), agriculture (21%).

What’s the demographic split?

Sharp generational gradient — daily use is 31% among 16-34 year olds vs 3% among 65+. University-educated adults 2.4x more likely than non-graduates to use weekly.

Where are these statistics sourced from?

Ofcom, DataReportal, We Are Social, Statista, Reuters Institute, Pew Research, FCA, PRA, Law Society, plus MarGen primary research (n=540 B2B survey, n=1,200 B2C panel).