AI search is replacing classic Google: growth in popularity and challenges

After years of dominance by Google's traditional search, known as the "ten blue links," users increasingly turn to AI assistants that generate answers in an interactive format.

As The Verge reports, citing Adobe research, consumers are massively changing their approaches to online search.

For example, Adobe analyzed over 1 trillion visits to retail websites in the US and surveyed 5,000 Americans to find out how they use AI tools to search for information.

The boom in AI queries: statistics

In 2024, the use of AI search increased by 1300% compared to 2023. The numbers were particularly impressive during Cyber Monday when the number of queries jumped by 1950%. Such a sharp surge is explained by the fact that the technology only began to gain popularity in 2023, and now it is becoming a mass phenomenon.

Particularly interesting changes in user behavior:

• Those who arrive at sites through AI search spend 8% more time there.
• The number of pages viewed by such visitors is 12% higher.
• The bounce rate (when a user leaves the site immediately) is reduced by 23%.

These trends suggest that AI assistants are helping people find more relevant information, reducing the need for additional queries.

Challenges for AI search

Despite its rapid growth in popularity, the integration of generative AI into search engines has not been without its challenges:

• After launching AI summaries, Google encountered errors in responses, which affected user trust.
• The startup Perplexity was accused of plagiarism, and News Corp even filed a lawsuit.
• OpenAI launched AI search in ChatGPT last year, but called it an experimental prototype to avoid a wave of criticism.

What's next?

Adobe research also showed that:

• 39% of users use AI for online shopping.
• 55% use it for information search.
• 47% turn to AI for recommendations.

So far, OpenAI's search does not contain advertising, but experts believe that its implementation is possible if the company does not find other ways to monetize.

Despite criticism and challenges, AI search is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to classic Google. Its main advantage is the absence of excessive advertising and SEO spam, which have become a serious problem for traditional search engines in recent years. If AI tools can overcome these shortcomings, they could be a game changer in the field of digital search.