Key stat: 57% of US B2B decision-makers use search engines during early research, more than any other channel, according to a January 2026 survey from Reddit and SurveyMonkey.

Beyond the chart:

• The picture flips in software buying. Some 71% of global B2B software buyers now rely on AI search for software research, up from about 45% in April 2025, according to G2's The Answer Economy.
• Meanwhile, 80% of global B2B tech buyers use genAI as much as traditional search when researching vendors, according to Responsive's Inside the Buyer's Mind report.

Use this chart: Drop this in your B2B channel planning deck to defend search investment as table stakes. Use it to show leadership that even as AI rewires discovery, 57% of B2B decision-makers still start with traditional search engines, making SEO, SEM, and now GEO (generative engine optimization) the foundation of early-funnel visibility.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• B2B SEO and GEO 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• How B2B Marketers Can Respond to AI-Accelerated Buying Cycles (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the March 2026 Reddit and SurveyMonkey report titled "The Hidden B2B Journey." 1,202 business decision-makers in the United States were surveyed during December 23, 2025–January 7, 2026. Respondents were selected from the more than 2 million people who take surveys on the SurveyMonkey platform each day. The modeled error estimate for this survey is +/- 3 percentage points.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.