Public First has produced a new report quantifying the economic impact of a range of Google services in the UK, and exploring the economic and social potential offered by AI more broadly for the economy across the country.

Key findings

• Consumers: Google services, including search and maps, save the average UK household £100 per year. Google tools have helped people in the UK earn over £7bn a year in secondary income online. 
• Businesses: Online search is the second most important way businesses say their customers find them, behind only word of mouth. Two-thirds of Google Business Profile users agree that it helps them attract new customers. 
• Careers and skills: Over half of Britons under 25 have recently used Google Search to help them apply for a new job. Over seven million people have learned new digital skills through Google Search in Britain, creating a £26bn improvement in productivity.
• Economic and social potential of AI: AI tools could create over £400bn in value for the UK economy by 2030. AI could save over 700,000 hours a year in administrative work for GPs and teachers, offsetting cost pressures in sectors like health and education. 

Methodology 

Public First worked with independent provider Dynata to conduct polling of a representative sample of over 4,000 individuals across every region in the UK. We also polled 1,000 senior business leaders from small, medium and large businesses across a range of different industrie, and used traditional economic modelling to measure the economic activity driven by Google products.  

Public First’s modelling from this report has been featured widely in the press, including in The Times, The Independent and The Guardian.