Trust, but Verify

Americans are turning to AI for first drafts of everything: recipe ideas, trip itineraries, and increasingly, who to call for a leaky pipe or a new dentist. New research shows that the first answer rarely closes the deal on its own.

According to BrightLocal's Consumer Search Behavior Survey 2026 (July 9, 2026), 75% of US consumers who used AI to find a local business checked Google or Maps before contacting them. Some asked AI first and confirmed on Google before reaching out (40%). Others used AI mainly as a jumping-off point and checked Google or Maps anyway (35%). Only 18% contacted a business straight from an AI recommendation, and 7% weren't satisfied with what AI gave them and went back to a regular search entirely.

Source: BrightLocal, Consumer Search Behavior Survey (July 9, 2026)

The habit is only getting more common. BrightLocal also found that 31% of consumers now use AI monthly for local recommendations, up from just 6% a year ago. But in that same survey, only 2% of people who started their search on an AI platform relied on its answer alone. Everyone else went looking for a second opinion.

It's not just consumers

B2B buyers are running the same play. Semrush's How AI Tools Shape the B2B Buying Process study (July 8, 2026) found that 41% of US B2B professionals who use AI at work start with an AI answer, then validate it through traditional search, the most common workflow of any they measured. Whether someone's choosing a dentist or a new vendor, AI has become the front door. Google is still the deadbolt.

What this means for you

If AI is where more of your customers start, and Google is where they double-check, your business needs to hold up in both places, not just one. That means a Google Business Profile that's accurate and complete, local directory listings that agree with each other, and content that actually answers what people, and AI, are asking about your business.

That's exactly where Future Days Media comes in. We offer AI Visibility Snapshots to show growing brands how they're showing up when someone asks ChatGPT, Gemini, or Google's AI answers about their category, along with audits and hands-on strategy for local directories and content, so the second-look moment works in your favor instead of sending someone to a competitor. Want to see how your brand shows up today? Contact us now to receive your free AI Visibility Snapshot and discovery call.

SOURCES CITED

1. BrightLocal, "Consumer Search Behavior Survey 2026" (July 9, 2026), as reported in eMarketer, "Shoppers Use AI to Find Local Businesses, Then Double-Check on Google" (Sep 21, 2026)

2. Semrush, "How AI Tools Shape the B2B Buying Process: A Survey of 600+ US Business Professionals" (July 8, 2026)