According to the Digital 2026 mid-year global update report, internet users aged 16 and older rely on a diverse mix of platforms to research products and services. Traditional search engines remain the dominant discovery channel at 45.8%, closely followed by social networks at 41.3% and consumer review sites at 35.4%. Product websites (32.2%) and mobile apps (30.7%) also serve as crucial touchpoints. Notably, artificial intelligence platforms (such as ChatGPT) have emerged as key research tools, capturing 22.1% of global usage and surpassing Q&A forums (18.3%), brand blogs (16.6%), specialist reviews (15.6%), and video blogs (12.0%).