AI search concept with a glowing “AI” symbol surrounded by digital orbit lines on a red background, representing the rise of AI-powered search.

From ChatGPT to AI Overviews: How Search Behaviour Is Changing

September 24, 2026

by Disha Chheda with No Comment Uncategorized

For years, search was simple: type a few keywords into Google, scan the results and click through to a website.

Today, that journey is changing.

People can ask ChatGPT a detailed question, use Google’s AI Overviews to get a summary directly in Search, or continue a conversation with AI Mode. Instead of searching through several pages to piece together an answer, users increasingly expect search platforms to understand context, compare information and provide a useful response.

This shift is changing not only how people search, but also how brands need to approach SEO, content marketing and digital visibility.

So, what does the new search landscape look like?

The Evolution of Search

Search has continuously evolved with technology.

It started with simple directories and keyword-based search. Google then transformed the experience by making it easier to find relevant webpages based on a query.

The next major shift is conversational and AI-powered search.

Tools such as ChatGPT Search allow users to ask questions naturally and receive answers supported by web sources. Google has also integrated generative AI into Search through AI Overviews and AI Mode, creating a more conversational search experience. (OpenAI)

The difference is important.

Traditional search:
Query → Search results → Website → Information

AI-powered search:
Question → AI-generated response → Sources → Follow-up questions

Search is moving from finding information to understanding information.

What Are AI Overviews?

Google’s AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries that appear within Google Search for relevant queries.

Instead of presenting only a list of links, Google can provide an AI-generated response designed to help users understand a topic, with links that allow them to explore further. Google says AI Overviews are integrated with its core Search systems and are designed to help with more complex questions.

For example, instead of searching:

“best digital marketing strategies”

a user might ask:

“What digital marketing strategies should a small business use if it has a limited budget?”

The second query contains more context and intent.

AI-powered Search is designed to handle this kind of conversational and complex query.

ChatGPT Has Changed What People Expect From Search

ChatGPT has also contributed to the shift from keyword-based search towards conversational discovery.

With ChatGPT Search, users can ask questions in natural language and receive responses that incorporate current web information and links to relevant sources. Follow-up questions can continue within the same conversation, allowing users to explore a topic without starting a completely new search each time.

This creates a different search mindset.

Users don’t necessarily have to figure out the perfect keywords anymore.

They can simply ask.

And that has major implications for digital marketing.

Search Queries Are Becoming Longer and More Conversational

One of the clearest changes in search behaviour is the move towards detailed questions.

Google reported that early AI Mode users in India were asking queries 2–3 times longer than traditional searches. Google also said AI Mode was particularly useful for complex questions involving comparisons, planning and detailed how-to information.

Consider the difference:

Traditional Search

“Best cafes Mumbai”

Conversational Search

“What are some quiet cafes in Mumbai where I can work for three hours and get good coffee?”

The second query tells the search system much more about the user’s intent.

This means marketers need to understand search intent, not simply search volume.

From Keywords to Questions

Keywords will continue to matter, but the way people use them is evolving.

A strong SEO strategy can no longer focus only on individual keywords.

Brands should also understand:

What questions are customers asking?
What problems are they trying to solve?
What information do they need before making a decision?
What comparisons are they making?
What follow-up questions could they have?
What language do they naturally use?

This creates an opportunity for brands to build answer-focused content.

Instead of writing an article simply because a keyword has high search volume, marketers can build content around the entire information journey.

The Rise of Zero-Click Search

Another important change is the growing importance of zero-click search.

A user doesn’t always need to visit a website to get an answer anymore.

AI Overviews can provide information directly within Google Search, while AI search platforms can summarise information from multiple sources.

That creates a challenge for traditional SEO.

Historically, marketers often measured success through:

Ranking → Click → Website Visit

But AI search introduces another layer:

Search → AI Response → Brand/Source Mention → Possible Click

Google continues to provide links within its AI Search experiences, and in 2026 said its AI features were sending billions of clicks to websites each week. (blog.google)

So the website isn’t necessarily disappearing from the journey.

The journey to the website is changing.

SEO Is Not Dead. It Is Evolving.

Whenever a new search technology appears, one question comes up:

“Is SEO dead?”

The answer is more complicated than that.

SEO remains important because AI-powered search still relies heavily on information from the web. Google says its AI Search experiences continue to connect users with websites, original content and sources.

But SEO is expanding beyond traditional rankings.

Brands now need to think about:

Traditional SEO

Keywords
Technical SEO
Internal linking
Backlinks
Search rankings
Website experience

AI Search Optimisation

Clear answers
Topical authority
Original information
Strong brand signals
Structured content
First-hand expertise
Context-rich content
Source credibility

The goal is no longer simply to rank for a keyword.

It is to become a useful and credible source when someone asks a question about your industry.

Why Original Content Matters More

AI can generate huge amounts of generic content.

That makes originality more valuable.

If every website publishes the same five tips about digital marketing, AI-generated search experiences have less reason to surface one generic article over another.

Brands can differentiate themselves by publishing:

Original research
First-hand experiences
Expert opinions
Unique case studies
Proprietary data
Industry insights
Real examples
Original visuals and frameworks

Google has also introduced features intended to help users discover original content and preferred sources within AI Search.

For marketers, this reinforces an important principle:

Don’t just create more content. Create content worth discovering.

Search Is Becoming Multimodal

Search isn’t limited to typing anymore.

Google’s newer AI Search experiences allow users to interact using different forms of input, including text, images, files and videos.

This means the future of search can involve questions such as:

“What is this product?”
“How can I style this?”
“What does this chart mean?”
“Compare these two products.”
“Explain this image.”
“Find something similar.”

For brands, this creates another reason to think beyond text.

Images, videos, product information, social content and other digital assets can all become part of the discovery experience.

Social Search Is Part of the Bigger Picture

AI isn’t the only thing changing search.

Social platforms have also become discovery engines.

People use platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok to discover:

Products
Restaurants
Travel destinations
Trends
Creators
Beauty products
Fashion
Entertainment
Recommendations

This means consumers can now move between Google Search, AI Search and Social Search depending on what they are looking for.

The modern customer journey might look something like:

Instagram → Google → YouTube → ChatGPT → Brand Website → Purchase

There is no longer one universal search journey.

What Does This Mean for Brands?

The biggest change is that brands need to become discoverable across multiple search environments.

A website still matters.

SEO still matters.

But brands should also consider how they appear across:

Google Search
AI Search
Social Search
YouTube
Review platforms
Industry websites
Online communities
Digital publications

Your audience may encounter your brand before they ever visit your website.

That makes digital presence and brand authority increasingly important.

6 Ways Brands Can Prepare for AI Search

1. Create Content That Answers Real Questions

Start with your audience’s problems rather than just keywords.

Build content around the questions people actually ask.

2. Build Topical Authority

Instead of publishing unrelated articles, create connected content around the subjects your brand genuinely understands.

3. Add Original Insights

Give people something they cannot get from hundreds of generic AI-generated articles.

Use research, examples, data, experiences and expert perspectives.

4. Make Content Easy to Understand

Use:

Clear headings
Short paragraphs
Bullet points
FAQs
Definitions
Examples
Structured explanations

Make it easy for both people and search systems to understand your content.

5. Think Beyond Google Rankings

Track more than rankings and traffic.

Consider brand mentions, visibility across search experiences, citations, engagement and conversions as part of your broader digital strategy.

6. Keep Your SEO Foundations Strong

AI Search doesn’t eliminate the fundamentals.

A technically healthy website, useful content, strong internal linking and a trustworthy digital presence remain important parts of search visibility.

The Future of Search Is Conversational

The biggest change isn’t simply that AI has entered search.

It’s that the relationship between users and search engines is becoming more conversational.

Instead of asking:

“What should I search for?”

people can increasingly ask:

“Here’s what I’m trying to do. Help me figure it out.”

Google’s latest Search developments are moving toward a more conversational experience, while AI search tools such as ChatGPT are making natural-language research part of everyday information discovery.

This means search is becoming less about finding a page and more about finding an answer.

Final Thoughts

From Google’s traditional search results to ChatGPT Search and AI Overviews, the internet is entering a new era of discovery.

The search box isn’t disappearing.

It’s becoming smarter.

For marketers, this means SEO needs to evolve from a narrow focus on keywords and rankings into a broader strategy built around intent, authority, originality and discoverability.

The brands that understand what their audiences are asking, create genuinely useful answers and build credibility across digital platforms will be better positioned for the changing search landscape.

Because the future of search isn’t just about where you rank.

It’s about whether your brand becomes part of the answer.

AI-themed collage with a human hand, robotic hand, search bar, AI chip, brain, and lightbulb icons on a bold red background.

AI Search Is Changing the Internet: Is Google Still the First Stop?

September 24, 2026

by Disha Chheda with No Comment Uncategorized

For more than two decades, Google has been the starting point for finding information online. We searched for restaurants, products, answers, services, reviews and almost everything in between.

But search behaviour is changing.

Instead of typing a few keywords into Google and opening multiple links, people are increasingly asking AI tools direct questions and expecting complete, conversational answers. From ChatGPT and Google’s AI-powered search experiences to AI assistants and other generative AI platforms, the way people discover information is becoming more conversational, personalised and immediate.

This shift raises an important question:

Is Google still the first stop on the internet, or is AI search creating an entirely new way to find information?

The Rise of AI Search

Traditional search engines work largely by matching a user’s query with relevant web pages. Users enter keywords, scan search results and choose which links to visit.

AI search changes this experience.

Instead of simply providing a list of links, AI-powered search tools can understand the context behind a question, process information from multiple sources and generate a conversational response.

For example, instead of searching:

“Best cafes in Mumbai”

a user might ask an AI assistant:

“What are some quiet cafes in Mumbai where I can work for a few hours, with good coffee and Wi-Fi?”

The second query reflects intent, preferences and context.

This is one of the biggest changes brought by AI search: users are moving from searching for keywords to asking questions.

Are People Still Using Google?

Yes. Google remains a major part of how people discover information online.

However, the search journey is becoming more fragmented.

A consumer might use Google to find a website, Instagram to discover a brand, YouTube to learn how something works and an AI assistant to compare options or understand a complex topic.

In other words, search is no longer happening in just one place.

Search behaviour is becoming multi-platform.

For brands, this means simply ranking on Google may no longer be enough.

Google Search vs AI Search

Traditional search and AI search serve different purposes.

Traditional Search

Google search is particularly useful when users want to:

Find a specific website
Compare multiple sources
Locate a business
Find current news
Research products
Navigate to a specific destination

AI Search

AI-powered search can be particularly useful when users want to:

Understand a complicated topic
Summarise information
Compare multiple options
Brainstorm ideas
Ask follow-up questions
Get a personalised explanation

The key difference is the experience.

Traditional search gives you results. AI search increasingly gives you an answer.

The Search Box Is Becoming a Conversation

One of the biggest changes in search behaviour is the move from short keyword queries to longer, conversational prompts.

People are no longer restricted to thinking like search engines.

They can simply ask questions the way they would ask another person.

For example:

Traditional SEO query:
“Best digital marketing agency Mumbai”

AI-style query:
“I’m a startup in Mumbai looking for a digital marketing agency. What should I consider before choosing one?”

The second query contains more context and intent.

This creates a new challenge for marketers: understanding not just what people search for, but why they search for it.

What Does This Mean for SEO?

SEO isn’t disappearing.

It is evolving.

For years, SEO strategies focused heavily on keywords, backlinks, technical optimisation and search rankings. These elements remain important, but AI search is creating another layer of optimisation.

Brands now need to think about how their content can become a trusted source that AI systems understand, reference and potentially surface in answers.

This is where Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is becoming increasingly relevant.

Instead of asking only:

“How do I rank on Google?”

marketers also need to ask:

“How do I make my brand visible when someone asks an AI about my category?”

From Ranking on Page One to Being Mentioned in an Answer

In traditional search, visibility often means appearing prominently in search results.

In AI search, visibility can look different.

A user may never see ten blue links. Instead, an AI system might provide a direct answer and mention a handful of brands, websites or sources.

This changes the value of being discoverable.

A brand could have strong website traffic and search rankings, but if AI systems don’t understand its expertise, products or relevance, it may have less visibility within conversational search experiences.

This is why brands need to start thinking beyond rankings.

The future of search visibility may involve both ranking and recognition.

Why Brand Authority Matters More Than Ever

AI search makes trustworthy information increasingly important.

Brands that consistently publish useful, original and credible content have more opportunities to establish authority around their subject.

This means businesses should focus on creating content that:

Answers real customer questions
Demonstrates genuine expertise
Provides original insights
Uses clear and accurate information
Builds topical authority
Is easy for both humans and search systems to understand

Instead of creating ten articles targeting slightly different versions of the same keyword, brands can build comprehensive resources that genuinely answer their audience’s questions.

The Rise of Zero-Click Search

Another major change is the growth of zero-click search.

A zero-click search happens when a user gets the information they need directly from the search experience without clicking through to another website.

AI-generated answers can accelerate this behaviour.

For brands, this creates a challenge.

If users receive an answer without visiting a website, traditional traffic-based metrics may not tell the entire story.

Brand visibility, mentions, citations, engagement and eventual conversions may become increasingly important alongside website traffic.

Social Media Is Part of Search Too

Search is no longer limited to search engines.

Younger audiences increasingly use platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok to discover products, restaurants, creators, trends and recommendations.

This means brands need to think about social search alongside traditional SEO and AI search.

A consumer might discover a restaurant through an Instagram Reel, check reviews through Google, watch a YouTube video and then ask an AI tool to compare similar options.

The customer journey can involve several discovery platforms before a purchase happens.

So, Is Google Still the First Stop?

For many searches, yes.

But the bigger change is that there may no longer be one universal first stop.

The starting point depends on what the user wants.

Someone looking for directions may open Google Maps.

Someone looking for a product recommendation may open Instagram or YouTube.

Someone trying to understand a complicated subject may ask an AI assistant.

Someone looking for a specific website may go directly to Google.

The internet is moving towards a multi-search ecosystem, where different platforms compete for different moments of consumer intent.

What Should Brands Do Now?

Brands don’t need to abandon traditional SEO.

Instead, they need to expand their approach.

1. Continue Building Strong SEO Foundations

Technical SEO, relevant keywords, quality backlinks, structured content and a healthy website still matter.

2. Create Answer-Focused Content

Write content around the questions your audience actually asks.

Think beyond keywords and understand search intent.

3. Build Topical Authority

Instead of publishing isolated articles, create interconnected content that establishes your brand as an expert within a specific subject area.

4. Optimise for Conversational Search

Consider how people naturally phrase questions.

Create content that directly answers those questions in clear, useful language.

5. Strengthen Your Brand Presence Across Platforms

Your website isn’t the only place where people discover your brand.

Build a consistent presence across search engines, social media, video platforms, review platforms and other relevant digital channels.

6. Focus on Originality

AI can generate endless amounts of generic content.

That makes original opinions, experiences, data, examples and expertise more valuable.

The brands that provide something genuinely useful will have more opportunities to stand out.

The Future of Search Is Not Google vs AI

The real story isn’t necessarily Google vs AI.

It’s about how consumers are changing the way they find information.

Search is becoming more conversational. Discovery is becoming more visual. Recommendations are becoming more personalised. And AI is becoming another layer between users and the information they need.

For marketers, the question is no longer simply:

“Are we ranking on Google?”

The bigger question is:

“Can people discover, understand and trust our brand wherever they search?”

That is the future of digital visibility.

Google isn’t disappearing overnight. But the definition of search is changing.

And for brands, adapting to that change now could be far more valuable than waiting for the next search revolution to arrive.

Final Thoughts

The internet has always evolved around how people discover information.

From directories to search engines, from desktop search to mobile search, and now from keywords to conversations, every shift has changed the way brands compete for attention.

AI search is the next major evolution.

The brands that succeed won’t necessarily be the ones producing the most content. They will be the ones creating useful, credible, original and discoverable content across the places where their audiences are searching.

Because the future of search isn’t about choosing between Google and AI.

It’s about being ready for wherever your audience searches next.