AI Changes How We Search Online

The landscape of online information retrieval is undergoing a significant transformation, with artificial intelligence-powered tools increasingly challenging the dominance of traditional search engines. Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are gaining traction among users for their ability to provide concise, tailored responses to a wide array of queries.

Anja-Sara Lahady, a lawyer and legal technology consultant based in Montreal, epitomizes this shift in user behavior. She has largely supplanted her use of Google with LLMs for various day-to-day tasks, citing the efficiency and reduced mental fatigue associated with AI-generated responses. This trend is not isolated; data indicates a substantial growth in LLM usage for online searches, with some research suggesting a doubling of desktop browser searches directed to these AI tools within a year.

Despite this surge in AI adoption, traditional search engines like Google continue to dominate the market. Google has responded to the AI challenge by integrating its own AI features, such as AI Mode and AI Overviews, to enhance user experience and maintain its market position. Experts posit that the future of online search may evolve into a hybrid model, where users leverage both AI tools and traditional search engines for different types of queries and purposes.