South Korea has long been one of the countries where domestic internet ecosystems could resist global giants. While Google dominates search in the rest of the world, Koreans have relied for decades primarily on Naver and local platforms. According to the latest AI Search Trends Report 2026 from analytics firm OpenSurvey, however, this picture is changing rapidly. Conversational artificial intelligence, which answers questions in natural language instead of offering a list of links, is now crossing the threshold of mass adoption.

ChatGPT and Gemini break records, Naver declines

A survey conducted among 2,000 respondents aged 10 to 50 produced surprising numbers. The share of Koreans using ChatGPT for search rose from 39.6% to 54.5% over nine months, crossing the 50% mark for the first time. Even more dramatic was the rise of Google Gemini, whose use for search jumped from 9.5% to 28.9%.

On the other side of the barricade, traditional platforms recorded declines across the entire spectrum. Naver, long the dominant player in the Korean internet, dropped from 85.3% to 81.6%. YouTube as a search tool fell from 78.5% to 72.3%, and Google from 63.5% to 61.3%. Among the ten tracked services, only AI agents grew — all other channels for discovering information, including Instagram, KakaoTalk, Daum, and TikTok, recorded a retreat.

Tracking primary search platforms is also interesting. While Naver remains in first place, its share of primary use dropped from 49.1% to 46.0%. ChatGPT climbed from 4.0% to 7.2%, reaching fourth place. Gemini jumped from 0.2% to 2.6%, taking sixth place. Both AI models grew across all age groups — from teenagers to users in their fifties.

When AI doesn't answer, users don't go back — they try another model

One of the survey's most significant findings is the change in user behavior during unsuccessful searches. The classic process used to be: enter a query on a portal, don't find an answer, try another portal. Today's AI agent users, however, instead of returning to traditional search engines, rephrase the query or switch to another language model. This signals deeper engagement with the AI ecosystem — users are beginning to view different models as complementary tools, not as a replacement for classic search.

This trend has a fundamental consequence for developers and companies. Optimization for classic search engines (SEO) remains important, but parallel to it grows the need to adapt content so that AI models can correctly interpret, cite, and present it in a conversational format. Companies that ignore so-called generative optimization risk their content simply not appearing in the new environment.

Korean platforms fight back: Naver and Kakao launch their own AI agents

Under pressure from foreign models, domestic players are accelerating transformation. Naver is strengthening an ecosystem connecting search, shopping, and payments. It expanded the coverage of the AI Briefing feature in search results by more than 20% and is improving content customization to match query intent. In Q2 2026, it plans to launch a dedicated AI tab on its portal that will allow users to directly recommend gifts, complete purchases, or book vacations right from search.

Kakao is responding through its flagship application KakaoTalk. The Kanana in KakaoTalk service, which is set to officially debut in Q1, will analyze the context of conversations in chat rooms and deliver relevant information exactly when the user needs it. At the same time, integration of ChatGPT for Kakao is expanding — it now covers not only calendar, reservations, maps, and payments, but starting this quarter also major partner e-commerce platforms such as The Hyundai, Olive Young, Musinsa, and MyRealTrip.

This strategy has a clear goal: to create "everyday AI" that is not an isolated tool, but an organic part of social and commercial interactions. Instead of users leaving the platform for a foreign chatbot, they are meant to gain similar functionality directly in the environment they already use daily.

What does this mean for the Czech Republic and Europe?

The Korean development is not a local anomaly — it is a harbinger of a global trend. In the Czech Republic, although Google dominates search with a share of over 95%, the use of conversational AI for everyday queries is also growing. ChatGPT and Gemini both support the Czech language, and Czech users are increasingly using them not only for content creation but also for searching for information.

The European market, however, faces specific challenges. The European Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), which entered into force in August 2024 and whose obligations are gradually tightening, places strict requirements on AI system providers regarding transparency, copyright protection, and prevention of disinformation. This can affect how quickly and in what form new AI search tools spread here. On the other hand, Europe is developing its own alternatives — from French Mistral to Czech projects in the field of language models — which could offer a European variant of conversational search with greater emphasis on privacy protection and compliance with local regulations.

For Czech companies and publishers, it is crucial to monitor how user habits are changing. If the trend from Korea is confirmed in Europe as well, it will become increasingly important not only to be visible in classic search, but also to appear in answers generated by AI. This requires a new approach to content creation: more precise facts, structured information, and answers to specific questions that users ask.

AI penetration into everyday life is accelerating

Data from South Korea shows that the shift from keywords to questions and answers has already arrived. A model that two years ago looked like an enthusiasts' experiment now forms the primary path to information for millions of people. The speed of adoption is remarkable — ChatGPT gained 15 percentage points in Korea in less than a year, Gemini almost 20 points.

For the average user, this means a simpler and faster way to find answers to complex questions. For companies, it represents both a new challenge and an opportunity. For the entire technology sector, it is confirmation that the future of search is conversational — and that those who do not prepare for it may quickly lose positions they have built over decades.