Google Search vs AI Search: How Our Habits Are Changing
- Graeme McInteer
- Aug 4
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 6
It was only yesterday when you typed a question into Google, and you used to get a list of links, then click through. Now you often see Google’s new “AI View” or “AI Mode”: a tidy summary at the top. It’s fast and feels conversational. And it matters, because you're not clicking through as much content trying to find the answer to your problem; it’s a subtle shift from exploring to consuming.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini or Copilot are offering chat-based answers. People are asking one question and getting one answer, then can ask more questions based on the responses, questioning and understanding their whole problems and situations rather than browsing multiple pages. It all points to search becoming more like navigation.
The difference between Search engines vs. AI search
Traditional search engines like Google, Bing or Microsoft Edge (R.I.P. Internet Explorer) scan the web, index pages, and then show you lists of links ranked by relevance. You choose where to click. Google still dominates, roughly 89–90 % of global search traffic as of early 2025. Studies show many people stick with Google simply because it’s the default browser setting, not necessarily because they prefer it.
AI-powered search/chat like ChatGPT or Google’s AI summary tools take your question, understand it in context, and then give you a direct answer, sometimes with sources, but often no click-through. You get a quick conversational response.
What’s coming: Gartner’s 2026 forecast
According to Gartner, traditional search engine traffic is expected to drop by 25 % by 2026, as AI chatbots and virtual agents increasingly replace link-based queries. That means instead of Googling things the old way, more people will be typing or speaking to an AI assistant. That said, this change probably affects the shallow, informational searches most. Think simple facts or basic research. Deep, complex queries might still send users to traditional search engines for a while longer.
But AI can still get things wrong
Although Google's AI summaries and tools like ChatGPT appear polished, they can sometimes produce false or fabricated information, a phenomenon known as "hallucination." This poses a significant risk. Many users still prefer the traditional link-based model, as it allows them to evaluate sources and compare information independently.
Takeaways:
Google search remains dominant, but its influence is gradually declining as AI tools become more prevalent.
You should expect fewer clicks and more zero-click answers, which means you get the answer on the search page itself without needing to visit a website.
Hallucinations are still a problem: trust but verify.
Businesses and marketers need to rethink how they appear in AI-overview answers, not just SEO. A shift toward structured, conversational content is coming, called Answer Engine Optimisation.
It’s similar to moving from exploring a library to asking a friendly librarian for a quick answer, with the hope that they don’t provide inaccurate information. Previously, searching required you to scan through the rows to find the answers. Now, AI aims to simply give you what it believes you need.