More than half of South Koreans have used ChatGPT for search in the past three months, signaling a shift away from traditional portal platforms such as Naver.
The change highlights growing pressure on local search engines as generative AI becomes a mainstream tool for finding information.
Survey Shows Rapid Growth In AI Search
According to OpenSurvey’s AI Search Trend Report 2026, 54.5 percent of Korean respondents said they had used ChatGPT for search at least once in the past three months.
The survey covered 2,000 men and women aged 10 to 59. The figure marks a sharp increase from 39.6 percent in March 2025.
Google’s Gemini also recorded strong growth, with usage rising from 9.5 percent to 28.9 percent during the same period.
Traditional platforms saw declines. Naver’s usage dropped from 85.3 percent to 81.6 percent, while YouTube fell from 78.5 percent to 72.3 percent.
These figures reflect any usage within a three-month window, not exclusive use.
AI Becomes Default For Knowledge Searches
The survey found that “knowledge acquisition” has become the top reason for using search services in Korea.
This marks the first time it has overtaken “location-related information.”
Users are increasingly turning to AI tools to summarize text, answer complex questions, and assist with work or study tasks.
Among ChatGPT users, 77.2 percent said they would rephrase a question if the first answer was not satisfactory.
Only 32.4 percent said they would return to conventional search platforms. Nearly 30 percent said they would try another AI model instead.
An industry official said generative AI is becoming the default entry point for online search, rather than a secondary option.
Local Platforms Move To Integrate AI
In response, Korean tech companies are accelerating AI integration to retain users and prevent further traffic erosion.
Naver plans to introduce an “AI Tab” in the second quarter. The feature will combine search, shopping, reservations, and payments within one interface.
Its AI Briefing tool, which provides summarized answers with sources, now accounts for more than 20 percent of all Naver queries.
Kakao is also expanding its AI strategy through KakaoTools, connecting ChatGPT with services such as maps, ride-hailing, calendars, and payments.
The company is increasing partnerships with third-party platforms including Olive Young and Musinsa, aiming to transform KakaoTalk into a transaction-enabled AI assistant.
Global Search Trends Reflect Similar Shift
The shift is not limited to Korea.
Between November 2024 and November 2025, Google’s organic traffic to more than 2,500 websites fell by 33 percent globally and 38 percent in the United States, according to Chartbeat data cited by the Reuters Institute.
Gartner forecasts that traditional search volumes will decline by 25 percent by the end of 2026.
As AI-native interfaces deliver direct answers instead of lists of links, the search landscape in Korea and beyond is entering a new phase.
Sources: OpenSurvey AI Search Trend Report 2026, Reuters Institute, Chartbeat, Gartner, OpenAI, Naver, Kakao.
