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Will Generative AI Replace Search Engines?

AI has taken over the world of tech in an unprecedented explosive growth in generative AI. The trend now is looking for quicker, better, and simpler ways to get things done. For the busy guy, chances are you’ve used a search engine to find everything from tools to tutorials, and even how-to guides.

How much of an impact on search engines can we expect from generative AI?

Is how we carry out traditional search queries going to change? Will AI become the norm and take us into a new phase of search on Google.

The impact is profound and here is what you can expect on changes to how you search and how you compete on Google.

A large room with a sign that says, what are we doing today?

A New Era of Information Access From Generative AI

Generative AI, like ChatGPT, has already changed how we work and is moving into processes that have got many skilled people quite scares. The shake up is happening but is it a positive leap not a negative one? With their capability to navigate the boundless realms of the internet, these artificial intelligence systems can swiftly offer answers. It’s like having a dynamite assistant who knows exactly where the best answers to your questions can be found and then summarising all the answers in a snap.

AI tools like ChatGPT can read and process vast amounts of information quickly, providing users with direct answers instead of a list of links.

Just imagine asking about a problem with getting more footfall into your recruitment agency to fill job vacancies for a client. And getting a straightforward, accurate answer without scrolling through endless pages that lays out a plan.

  • How to find the potential applicants

  • What to write on your site so that potential applicants find the jobs

  • How to optimise the job listings

  • How to choose the best applicants

 And these stats show it’s exploding in growth and in the number of users for every known business process.

Key ChatGPT / OpenAI Stats From Backlinko

  • ChatGPT has 200 million monthly active users worldwide.
  • 77.2 million people use ChatGPT in the US alone.
  • 23% of American adults have ever used ChatGPT.
  • ChatGPT Plus has around 3.9 million paying subscribers in the US.
  • ChatGPT accounts for 69.9% of the market share of the AI tools.
  • OpenAI’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) stands at $2 billion.
  • OpenAI is currently valued at $86 billion.
  • OpenAI has 1,200 employees worldwide.
 

Suddenly, a brand gets an AI manager. In an instant, someone finds what they want on Google. 

Heck, this would turn an inexperienced recruitment service into a robust path to helping firms fill their employment needs in any industry. Let’s take a recruitment agency as an example where the service matches the right skills to the right job. In other words, a service entirely dependant on accurate and accessible data.

Could the agency use AI and fire its managers?

So, I’d say no.

You take AI by the hand, but the recruitment service still needs knowledge of the industry to succeed.

Taking that further. Let’s say that recruitment agency Googled for help on a fast plan to find the best candidates for a job vacancy by skill-sets, qualifications, experience and personality. This puts the plan on the way to finding an ideal candidate. Many HR SaaS tools already help with these HR tasks, such as Zavvy.

The point is that Google’s new generative AI page will provide all the answers at the top of the screen.

That’s right. You’re less likely to scroll through results. Some examples:

  1. A carpenter finds the ideal handsaw. He wanted taper ground blades and a top brand. Et Voila! He gest the top choices at the top of the screen. Will he scroll down further?

  2. A real estate agent needs the best CRM software. One built for follow-ups and dealing with interactions and leads. At the top of the screen, some top brands show up like Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM. Will the agent scroll down further?

This is being rolled out and you’ve probably seen this AI overview in both Google and Bing. This creates a new era of how we go about using Google to search for answers. In turn, this will shape how SEO marketing plans will be created for any campaign in any niche.

Feel free to ask me how I use AI in my services and where I draw the line.

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Traditional Search Engine Frustrations

We’ve all been there: You want a simple answer quickly to your questions and instead you search query brings a million results. As you scroll the results, what is this? So many ads, so many headlines that want to sell and sell and sell. It’s enough to frustrate even the most patient among us.

Traditional search engines have done well to connect us with information, but the user experience can be clunky and time-consuming.

What I’m highlighting here is that one of the major frustrations with traditional search engines is this overload of information, often padded with SEO-optimised content that doesn’t always offer the best answers.

Say you choose to find out the “best paints for outdoor wood”. Great. Google delivers a toilet roll length page of answers. Hence the issue: millions of websites and you only want general advice, a quick answer. That’s where Generative AI is stepping in.

Generative AI Provides Instant Gratification

Generative AI can be trusted or not

Now, let’s take a look at what generative AI brings to the table.

So you ask the AI tool the question or just type a query like “best paints for outdoor wood”. Here’s the kicker for traditional search which you can see mostly on Bing at the moment. At the top of the page, you receive a concise, simple answer. No more scrolling it seems at this point with text showing the top options, pros, and cons, all within a few seconds.

No ads, no sifting through pages, just the info you need.

And this is in the form of a Q&A layout as top questions and answers in niches will be at the head of the SERPs page in the AI overview.

However, as cool as this sounds, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Generative AI isn’t foolproof.

These systems sometimes pull from outdated or incorrect data.

So, while the answer might be quick, good search practices will still need your attention. As you normally do, you’ll double-check the facts, especially for something critical to your business. Still, the streamlined, user-friendly experience could save you valuable time on straightforward queries.

So, searchers won’t quintessentially stop scrolling through SERP results.

You already know it’s good practice to check the sources. Sources from credible people with experience, not some general blogger who just clips and copies content.

If you wanted to know what SaaS AI tool best suits your property management service, as an example, like for an estate agent, you want the source to be a SaaS service with real-world examples. Or a review like on Techradar from a knowledgeable tech journalist in an article that lists say the top 5 SaaS tools.

So, that doesn’t change. The fact that quick answers are a function of generative AI does not make them the right answers. Folks will still scroll, as there are millions of search queries for most products.

That leaves the world of SEO open to make content more competitive by providing the best possible answers to questions typed in to Google.

Search Engines Integrating AI

You might wonder if traditional search engines are just going to sit back and watch as generative AI takes over.

Not quite.

Big players like Microsoft Bing and Google are integrating AI into their search functionalities, as mentioned.

As said, Microsoft Bing has used generative AI to enhance its search results, providing more precise answers and even visual aids in some cases. Likewise, Google has introduced the Search Generative Experience (SGE), blending traditional search with AI insights to offer a more refined search experience.

This hybrid approach aims to keep the convenience of AI while maintaining the depth and breadth of human-curated search results.

Google’s Strategic Shift

Google isn’t just dabbling in generative AI, they’re doubling down.

With their SGE and other features, they’re aiming to make search faster, smarter, and more relevant. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to stay competitive in an AI-driven world.

Yet, this evolution is a double-edged sword.

On one hand, it promises to reduce those annoying moments of hunting for the right link. On the other, it raises questions about privacy and the monopoly of information.

A Threat to Traditional SEO

a sign with a question mark and a question mark drawn on it

If you’re familiar with SEO, you know it’s all about getting a website to rank well on search engines.

But what happens to SEO in an AI-dominated world?

As mentioned, it will be about who writes the best content, the best answers, the better E-E-A-T layout, the quickest solution. And this will create even more fierce competition.

Here at ClickForSEO, I predict generative AI could drastically change the SEO landscape. Traditional optimisation involves keywords and backlinks, but AI-generated answers aren’t swayed by SEO tactics. They pull what they believe is the most accurate or relevant information, which might come from sources not optimised for SEO.

So, an SEO service has to get the clients’ sites and products mentioned in that answer or at least close to the answers listed.

Will this mean that your search results will show more meaningful results? Will we see less keyword-stuffed content as many bad SEO firms still like to write. Will this mean that we instantly see more useful information that only answers our questions?

Business Model Disruptions

This shift doesn’t just affect the SEO industry; it has wide-reaching implications for businesses of all sizes. Many SEO services including my own will have to pivot towards a more refined digital strategy around useful answers to the questions that need answering. Thus, moving away from a focus on rankings.

For tech giants like Google and Microsoft, the challenge will be to monetise these AI capabilities without alienating users or overloading them with ads.

Monetising AI Answers

Companies will probably explore new ways to monetise AI-generated answers. From what I’ve been gathering from sources, I am keen to suggest that this could mean finding a balance between ad-supported models and premium services.

This does create as many challenges as opportunties but generative AI will also open up more opportunities to market your services. This means staying close to changes in AI technology in your field and being aware of what AI is doing for your industry every month. Changes in generative AI are so fast and it’s a challenge to keep up.

Generative AI and Business Strategy

For all the potential disruptions, there’s also a lot of potential for innovation. Generative AI can help businesses conduct SWOT analyses, optimise marketing strategies, and even train employees.

By investing in AI integration now, you can stay ahead of the curve and leverage this technology to your benefit.

Imagine having an AI tool that can help you manage customer queries, track down the latest trends in your field, or even suggest improvements to your workflow. These tools aren’t here to replace you; they’re here to make your life easier.

The Uncertain Future of Search and the Impact of Generative AI

So, will generative AI replace search engines?

It’s hard to say definitively. The technology holds incredible promise, but there are still kinks to work out and ethical considerations to address.

What’s clear is that both traditional search engines and generative AI are evolving, and as they do, they’ll continue to shape the way we find and use information.

If you run your own business and are looking to grow your digital presence, it’s quite important to stay informed about these changes. And I’ll be debating this topic a lot in the coming months as SGE shows its head in SERPs more and more.

Embrace the technology, but also monitor how it’s developing.

By doing so, you’ll be better positioned to adapt your strategies and make the most out of both traditional and emerging digital tools.