The short version

Gartner predicted on February 19, 2024: “By 2026, traditional search engine volume will drop 25%, with search marketing losing market share to AI chatbots and other virtual agents.” Verdict: Still evolving. The 2026 window is still open. Gartner's own January 2026 survey found only about a third of consumers think GenAI chatbots are as effective as search engines for learning…

Prediction by

Gartner

On February 19, 2024

“By 2026, traditional search engine volume will drop 25%, with search marketing losing market share to AI chatbots and other virtual agents.”

Follow-up

The 2026 window is still open. Gartner's own January 2026 survey found only about a third of consumers think GenAI chatbots are as effective as search engines for learning new information, so a 25% drop in traditional search volume is not yet evident.

From the High Caliber AI network — see the AI for PR module in the course.