With search engine results not fully satisfying internet natives, more and more people search places like TikTok and Reddit for answers. Since the release of Gen AI tool Chat GPT in 2022, these large language models offer another interactive option to find answers to questions.
But can AI replace search engines? Kwasi takes a look at the AI tools giving answers now and whether AI will replace traditional search engines like Google and what it could mean for the future of SEO.
How AI is used in search engines
Search engines like Google and Bing use machine learning AI to produce results. This AI follows specific algorithms to organise websites into the hierarchy that you see in your search results for a particular query.
But will this continue to deliver the experience that digital natives expect? While search is unlikely to be disrupted in the short term, the way we search is continually changing, as are expectations of the types of results we get.
Chat GPT and generative AI for search
Many people use generative AI (like Chat GPT) as a starting point for brainstorming or research. For example, someone planning to travel to Asia may use AI initially to develop a draft itinerary for the trip. Before locking in each destination, accommodation and sightseeing activity, it’s likely that they will still use search to confirm the finer details.
Gen AI (ChatGPT) for search is good at:
- Giving an overview of a topic
- Providing a written answer that flows and is easy to understand
- Reducing the burden of clicking, reading and searching through multiple websites that may or may not contain the desired answers
Gen AI (ChatGPT) for search is not good at:
- Providing accurate and fact-checked information (particularly for niche or high-stakes queries)
- Providing sources for the information generated
- Surfacing the most recent information available.
Traditional search engines will remain relevant and useful until these limitations can be solved.
Perplexity
Perplexity has now been around for a year, created by founders who worked in AI research at OpenAI and Meta, with financial backing from Jeff Bezos (who also invested early in Google).
What does Perplexity do?
Perplexity provides a natural language answer to a question based on the information it finds on the internet, satisfying the human need for a direct articulated answer — it’s easier than clicking through multiple blue links.
This generative AI tool provides:
- a natural language answer to a query
- references for the answers
- links to the sources of information
- trending or modern examples of the answer, when relevant
- related questions the searcher may have
- a prompt for the searcher to ask a follow-up question.
Copilot is the feature that helps to focus the enquiry by prompting further questions. Looking behind the screen Perplexity runs on OpenAI’s ChatGPT model, combined with its own AI, and unlike other generative AI tools, it’s honest when it can’t find an answer (most of the time — some hallucinations still occur).
Who is using it?
At first glance, Perplexity solves for all of the objections a searcher has to using ChatGPT to search. And people are noticing, with around 10 million people worldwide using the platform monthly in early 2024.
Strengths
Perplexity is most useful for complicated or open-ended questions, including summarising news content about a specific subject or helping to choose a location for a special occasion.
Weaknesses
Perplexity is not so great at giving specific, concise and actionable information. For example, ahrefs report that website names are the most common search phrases typed into Google — but type a website name into Perplexity and you are just as likely to get a detailed description of the site’s history or purpose, with the link you actually wanted buried somewhere in the text.
Search GPT
Right now Search GPT is in prototype, with a limited list of around 10,000 users. When OpenAI launched the test version of Search GPT in 2024, shares in Alphabet fell 3%, an early indicator that the market sees this as a valid competitor for Google.
Right now there’s no release date for SearchGPT to the wider public. Those on the test list report that answers provide short descriptions, attributing the source URL and allowing the searcher to ask follow-up questions or open relevant links. This sounds a lot like Perplexity.
According to OpenAI, publishers will be able to manage how they appear in results, including an option to opt out of use in AI training. The pending lawsuit between the New York Times and OpenAI will be one to watch.
Google’s advantage (for now)
There are a few reasons why Google is here to stay for a bit longer, though it’s safe to say that more people will continue to turn to AI search engines and video platforms for answers.
Market capture over a long period of time
It takes time to raise brand awareness, change people’s behaviour and earn trust — this is something Google has had for a long time, and it will be hard for a competitor to dislodge.
There’s a lot of information on the web
Google has been ‘focus crawling’ the web for years, compiling specific answers to queries it receives and improving those search results based on user behaviour. In short, Google has been at it for a long time, which means any new search service has a lot of catching up to do.
Google’s team is huge
With a huge team, a reputation that attracts the brightest employees as graduates and money to pour into experimentation and development, Google is well-resourced to meet changing searcher demands. The question is, will it? The initial release of ‘Bard’ was so unsuccessful that it was relaunched with a new name (Gemini). It remains to be seen if Google has the right team and data to compete in the GenAI space.
Device and browser capture
Google is the default search engine on many devices and browsers, the automatic place people go to find an answer in 2024. To navigate to Perplexity, for example, you still might type “Perplexity” into Google first.
So when will SEO become AIO?
Right now, optimising for search engines still provides the best results, especially when businesses follow E-E-A-T principles in content. While Google is still the dominant place to search, a 2023 survey from PC Mag and Aberdeen Strategy & Research indicated that 42% of professionals think search will move to AI-powered chatbots in the future, and six out of 10 respondents already used generative AI tools.
At Kwasi, we track AI traffic to websites and analyse which pages are most frequently used by AI. Using this data, we develop and refine website optimisation strategies to deliver optimal visibility for your website, so that people can find your business online in exactly the places they are looking.
Frequently asked questions
Will ChatGPT replace search engines?
Chat GPT cannot replace a search engine as it does not consistently provide reliable and accurate information. Further, ChatGPT does not provide references or sources for the answers it generates (as at September 2024). SearchGPT is a new tool, with a release anticipated in the future, which may provide more details and a more reliable search functionality.
Will AI make SEO obsolete?
Absolutely not, no. AI makes getting started with SEO more important than ever, as trust signals including expertise, experience, authority and trust are essential to capturing AI traffic, expected to be an important SEO metric in the coming years.
Can Kwasi help my business prepare for AI?
Yes! The Kwasi team is at the forefront of AI developments in search engine optimisation (SEO) and can guide your business to achieve ongoing website traffic and visibility as AI becomes a more prominent part of the digital landscape.
