KUALA LUMPUR, 23 April 2026 – Gen Z is now the most active generation on Search, a trend clearly reflected in the way people across Southeast Asia including Malaysia are engaging with the platform.
AI is taking Search beyond its foundation of providing information, transforming it into a truly intelligent partner. Powered by Google’s most advanced multi-modal reasoning model Gemini 3.1, Search can have an intuitive, back-and-forth conversation and it will get people’s complex and highly nuanced intent.
As AI natives, this shift resonates with Gen Zs. They are no longer just entering keywords. They are researching, planning, brainstorming, and even having conversations with Search.
AI-powered features like AI Mode and Search Live make it faster, more natural, and more intuitive to find and act on information, allowing people to search in multimodal ways including text, voice and visual.
As a result, Gen Z has emerged as the most active generation on Search. Signed-in users globally aged 18 to 24 now issue more daily queries than any other age group. Google sees over 5 trillion searches annually with Gen Z driving this growth, showing Search is more relevant than ever.
Southeast Asia’s young, AI-native Population Uses Search to Satisfy Their Curiosity and Make Decisions They Can Trust
In Southeast Asia, this shift is even more undeniable. The region has one of the youngest, most AI native populations in the world who are leaning into Search to understand the world more and make smarter, more intentional choices:
- Southeast Asia outstrips the rest of the world in AI Search interest by three times the global average.
- Malaysians are also using different ways to search, with the country ranking in the world’s top 20 for multimodal AI interest among the five countries in Southeast Asia.
- Shopping is also smarter in the Search purchase journey, with Ads in AI Overviews now live in English for countries like Malaysia, allowing Gen Zs to go from discovery to purchase instantly on Search.
These days, social media might be where Gen Z discovers a trend, but Search is where they deep-dive about it and fact-check it. Instead of simply following a viral hype or long queues, they use Google reviews on Maps to find the truth behind the filter.
They rely on Search to look up a brand’s history, find honest feedback, and compare prices to see if a product is actually worth the buzz. Search provides the credibility they need to make a move.
That’s because Search remains grounded in trust. When people use Search to ask questions, Google cross-checks AI responses and provides clickable sources for quick validation.
“I am always keeping up with the latest AI trends. With AI Mode in Google Search, I can now bring everything together in one place.
It organizes the information for me, so I can quickly identify what matters and turn it into content ideas. It saves me a lot of time, and it has been a game changer for how I create content,” said Sherlyn Heon, a Malaysian AI content creator.
“AI is the best thing that has happened to Search. Today, it can do much more than just provide information. AI is making Search more intelligent so it can converse interactively across formats and provide answers to people’s complex and nuanced questions.
In Southeast Asia, home to one of the world’s youngest, most AI-native populations, we are seeing this shift play out in real-time.
For this generation, Search has become a constant companion. They are engaging more deeply, visually, and through voice than any group before them.
Whether it’s for learning, exploring a personal passion or making a high-stakes purchase, they rely on Search to make decisions they can trust,” said Sapna Chadha, Vice President, Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier.
Search is a Natural Extension of Gen Z Fandoms and Culture
For Gen Zs, Search is more than a utility. It is a digital home for their daily lives and passions. When it comes to what they love, Google is a natural extension of their fandoms, turning their curiosity into an immersive experience through hidden moments in Search called Easter Eggs.
From interactive trivia quests for icons like Taylor Swift, BTS, and the Southeast Asia Coachella sensation BINI, to adorable viral sensations like Punch the Monkey, Search speaks the language of Gen Zs. More than an intelligent engine, Search is part of the world that Gen Zs love.
Beyond these curated moments, Search reflects the real-time heartbeat of Gen Z culture through Google Trends. When a conversation starts buzzing, Trends allows people to tap into the pulse of the dialogue, providing the insights they need to join in and take action.
We see this same energy in Malaysia’s K-pop fandom. When searches for ‘BTS Comeback Live’ and ‘BTS Hooligan Dance’ saw a +5,000% breakout in the last 3 months, Search functioned as more than just a source of news; it became a platform for community connection.
By participating in the interactive Google scavenger hunt quiz to unlock digital memorabilia to celebrate the release of the Arirang album in March 2026, fans found reasons to engage. Ultimately, this shows that for Singapore’s Gen Z, Search is a bridge to their digital tribe; it gives them the unique ‘Easter eggs’ they need to share their love for BTS and bond with their online community in a more meaningful way.