Will AI Make Traditional Search Engines A Relic Of Internet 1.0?

Traditional search engines like Google Search and Microsoft Bing were once the cornerstone of our online experience. Google Search has long dominated this field, often becoming synonymous with search engines. People usually just say “Google it” instead of “search it.” 

However, these search engines now face increased competition as users struggle with a decline in the quality and relevance of search results. Since OpenAI publicly released ChatGPT in November 2022, the advancements in artificial intelligence and people’s exposure to the technology have grown exponentially.

This begs the question: Will artificial intelligence make the role of traditional search engines obsolete?

How Google Search Has Worsened Over The Years

Over the years, many users have noticed a decline in the quality of Google Search results. Increasingly cluttered with ads and sometimes irrelevant results, the once-trusted platform is no longer as reliable as it used to be.

Earlier this year, a study conducted by researchers from Leipzig University, Bauhaus-University Weimar, and the Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence investigated the question, "Is Google Getting Worse?" 

The researchers highlighted growing concerns that a surge of low-quality content, particularly in product searches, is obscuring valuable information in search results. 

They identified a significant portion of results for product-related queries as outright SEO product review spam.

The Rise Of AI Chatbots Like Perplexity, SearchGPT

Enter AI chatbots such as Perplexity. These platforms are emerging as strong contenders in the search domain. 

For instance, Perplexity focuses on delivering citation-based answers, offering more reliable and verifiable information compared to traditional search engines.

By directly integrating information from multiple sources, these chatbots provide a more streamlined and efficient user experience.

Last month, OpenAI gave a teaser of its online search tool called “SearchGPT.” 

White top analysts have deemed the 15-second video shared by ChatGPT-parent insufficient to provoke users to make a change from Google, its entry into the market impacted Google’s parent company stocks — making it clear that Google Search’s domination in the market is not stringent anymore.

Dr. Yair Adato, CEO and Founder of BRIA AI, told Benzinga that AI has been transforming search engines for years.

He said the primary change will be a shift from web page lists to a natural language interface that integrates information from multiple sources. 

This evolution mirrors the transition from catalog-based search engines like AltaVista to Google's keyword approach and now to conversational AI-driven search. 

While the core function of information retrieval remains, AI will make the process more intuitive and comprehensive, catering to diverse user needs and preferences.

The Growing Trend Of Appending ‘Reddit’ Or ‘Twitter’ To Search Queries

One workaround that users have come up with is to increasingly append “Reddit” or “Twitter” – or for that matter, the name of a specific website – to their search queries.

This helps in narrowing down the results to those particular websites. For instance, Reddit has emerged as a good source for users trying to find troubleshooting information or something that involves a lot of user-generated responses.

Twitter (now X), on the other hand, is useful for surfacing news and current events.

But Integrating AI Into Search Engines Is Easier Said Than Done

According to Dr. Adato, there are several challenges in implementing gen-AI-based search engines. The complexity of AI models can lead to issues with accountability and transparency, as it becomes harder to trace how results are generated. 

AI's ability to synthesize information from multiple sources complicates the verification of sources, potentially compromising reliability. Additionally, large language models like ChatGPT, primarily designed for language generation, can produce inaccuracies in search results, he stated.

Addressing biases in training data is also crucial for developing responsible AI-based search systems. “Gen AI systems learn from existing data, which means that any problems present in the training data can become amplified in the output,” he added.

So, What Should Be The Way Forward

To ensure accuracy and prevent misinformation, search providers must adopt responsible AI practices, carefully vet data sources, and establish robust testing methodologies, said Dr. Adato.

“Develop both technological safeguards and human oversight processes. Combining these approaches ensures that AI outputs are validated and refined before reaching users,” he suggested.

Building user trust through transparency and consistent delivery of reliable results is critical along with helping them understand how search results are generated.

Perhaps Google Search will evolve to take on AI chatbots – Google is already experimenting with an AI-powered solution called “Search Generative Experience” – however, access to it is currently limited.

The future of search will likely be an AI-enhanced version of what we have today. Time will tell, though, if the web becomes a question-and-answer format experience or a version of what we have now.

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