53% of Consumers Distrust AI-Enabled Search Results: Gartner

Consumers are cautious about AI-enabled search results, with a recent Gartner study showing that 53% of consumers lack trust or confidence in their reliability and impartiality. 

Surveying 377 U.S. consumers between June and July 2025, the study revealed that consumers want more control over their online search experience, especially by turning off AI summaries. 

Forty-one percent of consumers expressed frustration with generative AI overviews, saying it makes the search process more complicated than traditional methods.

The survey further analyzed that while AI-enabled results are transforming search engines, their role in product research remains limited. Consumers are comfortable with AI summaries for initial product information, but find them less useful when comparing prices or deciding to make a purchase.

Also: Don’t mistake rebranded chatbots for true agentic AI, Gartner warns