Have software buyers stopped using Google?

No. In G2’s AI search study, 80% said they still used Google somewhere in the buying journey.

Are these findings specific to UK buyers?

No. Both G2 surveys used global samples across North America, EMEA and APAC.

Does making an AI shortlist mean winning the sale?

Buyers still face checks after choosing a vendor. G2 names security review as the leading post-selection delay, while Forrester reports continued use of trials.

How software buyers use AI to build shortlists in 2026

Your first sales conversation may start with a comparison the buyer has already asked AI to write.

Steen Stones · Reviewed 8 Oct 2026

Software buyers use AI to compare vendors and narrow their options, then check the evidence. G2 names comparing strengths and weaknesses as the leading use, while Forrester says buyers still seek trusted validation.

Where does software research start?

In G2’s March 2026 survey, 51% started software research with an AI chatbot more often than Google. Its 1,076 decision makers came from North America, EMEA and APAC. These are global findings, not a UK-only measure.

Google remains part of the journey: 80% said they used it during the buying process, even if they started elsewhere.

What do buyers ask AI to compare?

Buyers use AI to weigh vendors’ strengths and weaknesses, the leading use in G2’s study. Can they see where your product fits beside the alternatives?

Give those comparisons substance. G2 recommends clear positioning, pricing context, integrations and implementation details, backed by proof of specific uses.

What gives the shortlist credibility?

Reviews and AI answers both help buyers judge their shortlist. In G2’s June 2026 survey, review sites influenced 38% and AI chatbots influenced 37%. That separate global study covered 1,038 decision-makers.

Buyers also check trusted sources because AI answers can be incomplete or unreliable, according to Forrester. Barbara Winters says providers need claims that external voices can help buyers validate.

Reviews and AI both influenced shortlistsG2’s June 2026 global survey of 1,038 decision-makers. The shares are close; neither represents all UK buyers.

Review sites38%
AI chatbots37%

Source and study details

G2 2026 Buyer Behavior Report, June 2026 global survey. Both figures answer the same shortlist-influence question. Read 8 October 2026.

Shortlist influence in the same survey

Swipe across to read all columns.

Source	Source named by buyers	Share
G2: June 2026 buyer behaviour report	Review sites	38%
G2: June 2026 buyer behaviour report	AI chatbots	37%

What happens after a buyer chooses a vendor?

A chosen vendor still faces checks before the purchase. In G2’s survey, 39% named security review as the biggest delay after selection.

Stevie Case makes the commercial point: trust needs to be easy to evaluate, or the deal stalls.

Buyers also test possible solutions through trials, which more than 60% use according to Forrester.

Trust must be easy to evaluate, or the deal stalls.

What should your content help buyers check?

Help buyers check the comparison. G2 recommends clear explanations of fit, pricing, integrations and implementation, with evidence behind the uses you describe.

Make that evidence useful when buyers move beyond AI answers to trusted sources and trials, as Forrester describes.