AI vs Google Search: Why ChatGPT Is Winning Users and Disrupting the Internet

AI vs Google Search is no longer a hypothetical scenario — it is a reality unfolding before our eyes. A growing number of people worldwide are skipping traditional search engines like Google and Bing and heading straight to large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT for answers, recommendations, and even shopping advice.

🚀 The Shift to AI Assistants

Take the example of Anja-Sara Lahady, a lawyer and legal technology consultant from Montreal, Canada. She says that in the past year, her use of ChatGPT has overtaken Google Search for everyday tasks.

“I’ll ask it how I should decorate my room, what outfit I should wear, or even what meal to cook with the three ingredients I have in my fridge,” Lahady explains.

While she avoids using LLMs for legal reasoning, she turns to AI for low-risk professional tasks, like drafting emails or finding accounting software for her business.

📈 Explosive Growth of LLMs

ChatGPT now attracts over 800 million weekly active users, up from 400 million just seven months ago, according to data and research firm DemandSage.

Research firm Datos reports that in July, 5.99% of desktop browser searches went to LLMs — more than double the share from a year earlier. This surge indicates a clear shift in user behaviour away from search engines.

🧠 Why People Prefer AI

Professor Feng Li, associate dean for research and innovation at Bayes Business School in London, says people are turning to LLMs because they reduce “cognitive load.”

“Instead of juggling 10 links, you get a brief synthesis that you can edit and iterate in plain English,” Prof. Li says.

This makes LLMs particularly powerful for:

Summarising long documents
Writing first drafts
Coding snippets
Exploring “what-if” scenarios

However, he cautions that AI outputs still need verification because hallucinations and factual inaccuracies remain common.

📉 Google Responds

Despite concerns about declining search traffic, Google insists that search queries — including commercial ones — continue to grow. The company has rolled out new features such as:

AI Mode – allowing conversational-style queries
AI Overviews – summarizing search results at the top of the page

But there are signs of impact. During a US Department of Justice antitrust trial, a top Apple executive testified that Google searches on Apple devices (via Safari) fell for the first time in 20 years.

🛒 Marketing Is Changing

The rise of AI search is forcing companies to rethink their SEO and digital marketing strategies.

Leila Seith Hassan, chief data officer at Digitas UK, explains that businesses need to understand which sources LLMs consider authoritative:

“In UK beauty, we saw news outlets and review sites like Vogue and Sephora referenced heavily, whereas in the US, there was more emphasis on brands’ own websites.”

This matters because referrals from LLMs often convert better — meaning users who click AI-suggested links are more likely to buy.

Why AI Feels More Personal

One of the biggest reasons users say AI challenges Google Search is the personalization factor. Search engines return lists of links, often cluttered with ads, SEO-optimized content, and outdated results. LLMs, on the other hand, offer direct, conversational answers.

For example, London-based strategist Hannah Cooke says she uses ChatGPT for highly specific, personal requests:

Finding skincare products that match her exact skin type
Planning a two-week trip to Japan, including vegetarian restaurant recommendations
Drafting ideas for professional campaigns

“It saved me hours of research,” Cooke says. “There are fewer websites to click through. The answer comes straight to me, and I can refine it.”

🌎 Real-World Use Cases

Consumers are using AI for everything from skincare advice to travel planning.
Hannah Cooke, head of client strategy at Charlie Oscar, says ChatGPT has become her personal planner: