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The Datos State of Search Q3 2025 report provides a rare, data‑rich look at how peeps in the US and Europe actually search, shop and browse. Rather than echo the never-ending AI marketing hype, the report traces billions of clickstream events to show how AI is settling into reality.
Spanning July 2024 through September 2025, it finds that traditional search remains the backbone of authentic online discovery. AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini are growing, but their adoption now appears to be stabilizing. Zero‑click results are rising (and where your focus needs to be), while e‑commerce and content behaviors exhibit seasonal patterns.
By combining insights from the Datos report with recent ramblings in the biz over the last few months, my summary here tries to pump the breaks on the frantic AI search craze and offer some simple, broad predictions for Q1 and Q2 2026.
Traditional Search Remains Resilient
Datos’ data shows that desktop search is far from dying. In the US, traditional search accounted for about 10% of all desktop events in Q3 2025, barely up a sliver from 2024. In Europe the share rose a similar half a percent to 10.88%.
Google’s dominance is nearly absolute: throughout Q3 2025 it handled roughly 95% of desktop queries, with Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo maintaining small but steady single‑digit shares. Average searches per Google user fluctuated seasonally between 90 and 100 searches per month, while DuckDuckGo users averaged 50–55 searches.
The stability of search engines becomes even clearer when measured against AI hype. Across both the US and Europe, AI tools’ share of desktop events nearly tripled over the past year—from 0.24% in April 2024 to 0.72% in September 2025—yet this adoption appears to be levelling off at about 1.3 %.
In other words, even after rapid growth, AI tools still generate a small fraction of the traffic driven by search engines. Rand Fishkin notes in the report that traditional search and AI tools peaked simultaneously in September 2025, suggesting that AI is developing as a parallel category rather than cannibalising search.
AI Adoption: Growth, Normalization and Integration
The major headline of AI adoption is not “replacement” but integration. Datos estimates that more than 30% of US desktop users and over 40% of European users employ ChatGPT. Gemini has gained momentum, especially in Europe, while Perplexity, Claude and Microsoft Copilot each attract roughly 2% of users. These numbers indicate meaningful reach; however, AI remains an adjunct to, not a substitute for, search.
Looking at how people use AI underscores that integration. The top destinations visited after interacting with AI tools are Google, YouTube, GitHub, Amazon and Wikipedia. This pattern shows that AI sessions frequently segue into traditional search, coding platforms, research sites and shopping.
Smaller challengers such as DeepSeek rotate in and out but have not yet achieved sustained traction. In Europe, Reddit and community‑driven platforms are rising destinations from AI tools, while Meta apps like Instagram and WhatsApp still feature in the top AI‑driven referrals. In both regions, AI activity increasingly points towards trusted, authoritative sources (e.g., Wikipedia and the NIH), suggesting that users value AI for summarization but still rely on established domains for verification.
The report’s key takeaway is that AI has entered a phase of consistent mainstream use: ChatGPT adoption is high, but growth has moderated; alternative tools maintain niche followings; and the same core platforms remain central to AI‑assisted browsing. The narrative of AI replacing search is therefore misplaced. Instead, AI is blending into established workflows, acting as a starting point for coding, research or writing, not a destination unto itself.
The Rise of Zero‑Click Results and Evolving User Intent
One of the most consequential shifts highlighted by Datos is the steady rise of zero‑click search. In the US, searches ending without a click climbed to almost 27% in Q3, a 3% increase since Q3 2024. European users clicked through slightly more often – organic click‑throughs rose from 45% in June to 46% in September 2025, but zero‑click behavior still accounts for a substantial share of searches.
Fishkin warns that US searches sending external traffic hit a historic low in March–May 2025, with only about 40–42% of searches resulting in a click. He argues that marketers must plan for a Zero‑Click Internet; a world where the objective is not merely driving traffic but influencing searchers within the SERP.
External research reinforces this trend. A Semrush study from October 2025 notes that 58.5% of U.S. searches and 59.7% of E.U. searches ended without a click in 2024. AI Overviews were triggered for 13.14% of queries in March 2025, up from 6.49% in January.
Data from an earlier Q1 report via SEL shows that the proportion of zero‑click searches in the US rose from 24.4% in March 2024 to 27.2% in March 2025, with the EU/UK climbing from 23.6% to 26.1%. The features driving this behavior? featured snippets, AI overviews, knowledge panels and People Also Ask boxes. Together, these numbers reveal a structural shift: users are increasingly finding answers directly within the results page or AI interface.
User intent is also evolving. Datos reports that informational intent still accounts for roughly 60% of desktop searches, but commercial and product‑related queries are rising. Navigational intent varies by engine and region, suggesting different habits in using search as an exploration tool or as a direct route.
Fishkin speculates that Google’s AI Overviews and instant answers are prompting US searchers to ask more complex questions directly in the SERP. The combination of zero‑click growth and shifting intent means that marketers must adapt not just their SEO to compliment these shifts, but focus even more on brand marketing, website UX, and conversion optimization when a user finally does click on a web result.
E‑commerce and Content Patterns
The Datos report shows that desktop e‑commerce engagement softened slightly in the US in Q3 2025: overall participation dipped, but webpage visits per shopper increased, suggesting more intentional browsing.
Amazon remained the clear leader, accounting for almost half of US desktop visits. Temu’s growth plateaued, Walmart held steady and eBay, Target and Etsy all declined in parallel. In Europe, the story differs: desktop e‑commerce grew modestly; Amazon captured about 27% of visits, while AliExpress held a strong second position, suggesting an e‑commerce sector that is stabilizing after pandemic‑era surges.
Content platforms exhibit durable hierarchies. In the US, YouTube engages roughly 70–75% of desktop users and averages 9–10 searches per user. Reddit and Facebook form a middle tier with about 35–40% reach, while TikTok, LinkedIn, X and Pinterest attract smaller but resilient audiences. Pinterest nearly doubled its reach since 2024.
In Europe, YouTube’s dominance is narrower; Reddit has grown to approach Facebook’s reach; and Pinterest and TikTok show solid gains. Fishkin remarks that Reddit’s surge – overtaking Facebook in US desktop visits – makes it a must‑participate platform even for B2B marketers.
Interestingly, AI surfaces also feed into these platforms: ChatGPT ranked ninth among US search destinations and seventh in Europe, signaling that AI is becoming a routine stop in broader content journeys – it’s now part of the larger ecosystem, complimenting traditional search.
Predicting Q1 and Q2 2026: Evidence‑Based Expectations
The aggregate data suggest that AI usage will continue to grow, but the explosive phase of adoption is ending and hype is cooling. Enterprises are already delaying a quarter of planned AI investment, hinting that the current enthusiasm may be an AI bubble.
Meanwhile, search engines remain the top source of brand discovery, commanding massive ad budgets and engagement. In this environment, predictions for early 2026 should focus on stability and fundamentals.
Early 2026 is likely to play out as follows:
- Search remains the profitable backbone. Despite minor declines in reported usage, search still drives most discovery and purchases. Brands will continue to invest in SEO and paid search, which offer clear ROI.
- AI adoption plateaus and the bubble swells. ChatGPT and its competitors will gain users slowly, but their share will stay in the low single digits. With only 2 %of ChatGPT queries relating to products, consumer shopping via AI will remain negligible. Enterprises will scrutinize AI budgets, prioritizing governance and training over hype.
- Zero‑click becomes normal, conversions become king. AI overviews and rich snippets will push zero‑click rates higher. Success won’t come from reverse‑engineering AI models; it will come from being cited in these features and converting the clicks that do occur “down the road” through excellent UX and strong branding.
- Budgets favor fundamentals. With AI enthusiasm cooling, companies will redirect spend toward content quality, site performance, conversion optimization and brand building. These investments support both traditional search and any AI‑driven referrals.
- AI advertising stays experimental. Ads inside AI responses will roll out, but uptake will be cautious. Marketers should experiment carefully and only expand budgets if ROI proves compelling.
Looking ahead to early 2026, the hype cycle around AI will continue to cool. Enterprises are already questioning the ROI of large AI projects, and consumers use chatbots mainly for information and assistance—not shopping.
Search engines remain the critical channel for discovery and commerce even as AI overviews and ads appear in the results. Marketers who focus on traditional SEO, content quality, conversion optimization and brand equity – while experimenting judiciously with AI citations and ad formats – will be best positioned to thrive in a maturing, post‑AI hype search environment.
For those that want to continue hyping AI search tools thinking they will dethrone traditional search, I’d take my advice from a wise old sage – these aren’t the droids you’re looking for.