Before OpenAI’s Monday announcement of ChatGPT-4o, rumors circulated that the company was ready to introduce an AI-powered search tool to compete with Google Search. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has put a stop to such rumors (for the time being), but the issue remains: Will generative AI forever affect the nature of internet searches as more people opt to access information using tools like ChatGPT? Could internet searching (as we know it) disappear entirely? What does generative AI mean for search engine optimization, a business worth around $68 billion per year?
Generative AI Eliminates the Frustrations of Searching for Information
Let’s face it: the usual online search experience is poor at best. Assume you’re searching for “What are the top attractions in Savannah, Georgia?” You will most likely be greeted with thousands of search results. You next have to pick through the top ones while avoiding all the cookie notices that appear on each page. And you might have to wade through paragraphs of SEO text to find the simple answer you were searching for.
Imagine asking a tool like ChatGPT, “What are the top attractions in Savannah, Georgia?” Simply enter or speak your question, and you’ll receive a fast response. You don’t have to crawl the internet since the AI does it! Users will find it a lot easier and less annoying in general. (Of course, whether the information you acquire from a generative AI tool is entirely true is another question. However, the same may be stated about online search.)
This may considerably alter—and possibly endanger—internet searches as we know it. As a result, it is understandable that internet search providers are increasingly adding generative AI into their search products. Microsoft Bing was the first to implement ChatGPT. Google has also introduced a new search experience known as Search Generative Experience, which is intended to make it easier for people to browse information online. SGE users, for example, may view definitions by hovering over certain words or get a summary of essential points from long web pages.
In other words, internet search engines are attempting to improve what they do with generative AI to give a cleaner, less irritating search experience. Will these efforts be sufficient, or will ChatGPT acquire a competitive advantage? It’s too early to say for sure, but one thing is certain: generative AI will fundamentally alter the way humans seek information.
Is the SEO Industry at Risk?
Quite possible. Generative AI has the potential to replace traditional SEO approaches. SEO tactics enable organizations to convince search engines to like their website and rank it as high as possible in search results. Other strategies for ensuring that a website ranks high in search results include banner displays and paid ad placements. However, if customers are increasingly avoiding search engines in favor of tools like ChatGPT, all of those time-consuming SEO efforts and sponsored placements will be for nothing.
Companies like Microsoft and Google understand this, which is why they’ve been so eager to include generative AI capabilities into their search functionality to keep users—even though they know it will have an impact on future income from sponsored placements and advertising displays. Consider that Google Ads accounted for 58% of Google’s 2022 income, and you can see how much a corporation like Google stands to lose. This indicates that search engine providers such as Google and Microsoft will most likely monetize generative AI replies in the future, just as they did with ordinary search results.
In other words, the major guys will be OK. As these tech titans figure out how to innovate with and commercialize generative AI, new income sources will emerge. However, for smaller organizations that provide SEO services, generative AI may pose a significant challenge to their business model.
The Takeaway for All Businesses
SEO is only one example of how generative AI may impact organizations, both favorably and adversely. Generative AI can touch practically every business in a variety of ways. Business leaders must take a proactive approach to understanding and exploiting this disruptive tool.
Start by completing a SWOT analysis to see how AI may benefit your company. Consider how AI might be incorporated into your key operations to improve efficiency and customer experience. Keep up with industry developments and rivals’ artificial intelligence efforts. Start pilot projects to test AI applications within your organization, and invest in educating your people to use AI technologies successfully. This allows you to adjust your business plan to fully capitalize on the possibilities of generative AI and stay ahead in a continuously changing marketplace.
Source- Forbes
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