RE: OpenAI Search

In 2017 or so, I can't remember, honestly... I created a website called Curation Junkie. It was an attempt to curate valuable information driven by my curiosity about how we could better organize knowledge.

I conceptualized something similar to today’s AI. Instead of relying solely on keyword-based search engines, I imagined a curation engine to predict what we’d want to see next.

Fast-forward and the release of The Social Dilemma and similar revelations about social media algorithms make it clear: these tools are designed not only to answer questions but to shape them.

From answers to influence.

Considering the PR fathers like Edward Bernays, it’s clear this is nothing new - planting ideas to cultivate desire. The aforementioned social media ideas should not be a surprise.

Today, it’s not just about search terms... it’s about profiles, habits, and conversations. Our actions.

In SEO, the goal remains to answer questions. Yet, we’re moving from an overwhelming volume of potential answers to curated, modeled results. For you. As data is processed and compressed, repetitive SEO practices lose (have lost) relevance.

Historically, it wasn't just about providing answers; it was about building authority, trust, and reputation - qualities that were challenging to prove in the digital world.

But as algorithms progress, many traditional metrics like follower count and backlinks will carry less weight, replaced by models that predict users’ needs in real-time.

Imagine the implications: every data point, from travel patterns to calendar events to refrigerator water filter notifications, feeds into a model predicting your next search intent. This convergence of signals will refine prediction models, moving us away from familiar signals to less predictable, more nuanced information.

Studies already show that while traffic to static keywords is decreasing, people are asking more complex, in-depth questions, expecting higher-quality answers. 18+ months of chatting with your search results...

With AI’s progression, we’ll rely more on these answers even if they are only slightly better than the choices we currently have.

Ten-blue-links thinking will become a relic in a lot of situations.

Services like Perplexity.ai are already experimenting here, offering insights without fully replacing the utility of resources like Google. Still, it’s a glimpse into what could be.

This evolution is a shift in information efficiency. Where meta entities organize content for faster, quality access.

The tools we engage with now whether Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn, rely on learning systems that force us to understand them as much as they understand us. We see this with algorithms on every platform; while they surface content we like, they don’t always help us discover. Yet, we crave novelty. AI might not fully replicate that discovery instinct, but it’s pushing in that direction. And will feel novel.

Decreasing noise and increasing room for attention.

The potential here? An AI that not only observes our behavior but understands our mood, habits, and intentions. This "data confidant" could anticipate our needs so that we wouldn’t need a search engine at all. Transactional.

An idea I explored a few years back with a concept I called adverteering a user-centric data network (a confidant) where individuals retain control and privacy and even monetize their data voluntarily.

Imagine sharing data for a house-buying search. You specify location, budget, and amenities, and your AI matches you with relevant results - no ads, no intermediary. With data feeds from providers, this AI network bypasses the entire legacy advertising thing. Why go on Zillow when you can find exactly what you need through direct, curated responses? Yes, overly edited photos included.

Okay, but in terms of SEO... Will we need to allow OpenAi to crawl our website?

OpenAi will be eating websites. And so will all the other ai models.

Should we worry about SEO’s future? Yes, especially for those relying on duplicative ideas, products, or services. The industry's shift from keyword-driven answers to entity-based non-fungibility is inevitable. AI values original, valuable information - the kind that no one else offers. Brands that prioritize this uniqueness will thrive.

-> we need to define SEO through a lens of authenticity, with unique, irreplaceable ideas that are novel and leave a mark on your senses. Your memory.

The long-term view is a collaboration with AI, where our unique answers meet its predictive power. While people will enjoy the experience of shopping or choices. Many of life's wasted moments will be removed and deleted. For the better. Hopefully.