The Big Picture: How AI is Changing Buyers Search Habits
Just before Christmas I needed some great Christmas present ideas for my (much) better half.
I come from a family where just remembering to buy something for Birthday's/Christmas is a win, whilst she comes from one where the thought and care you take really matters.
Instead of Google I used my AI assistant (ChatGPT - I have called her Elin)
The results were impressive - I put in a maximum budget, her name, age, cultural values, favourite brands, what she spent most money on (a glance though our banking app meant that was easy!!) and what I had bought in previous years with a score out of 10 for success or failure.
I bought the top two items on the list of five. One was a facial aesthetics product by FOREO, the other from La Bonne Brosse. Never in a million years of Googling would I have thought of these. The result were 10/10 which sets a high standard for next year!!
I'm not the only one.
Search is changing fast. AI-powered search tools, chat-based assistants, and generative AI responses are shifting how buyers find and evaluate products and services. So, is traditional search still king—or are we witnessing a bigger shift?"
Here’s what I think is happening:
🔹 AI Assistants Are the New Search Engines – Instead of Googling, more people are using AI tools (ChatGPT, Perplexity, DeepSeek) to find summarized answers, product recommendations, and insights. When Google realised AI was 'going to eat its lunch' it quickly deployed Gemini which now is rapidly catching its competitors.
🔹 Fewer Clicks, More Answers – AI-generated responses reduce the need to visit multiple websites, meaning businesses have to rethink how they get discovered.
🔹 Search Intent is Evolving – Instead of typing keywords like “Best CRM software 2025”, users are asking context-driven questions like “Which CRM is best for small businesses needing automation?”
🔹 SEO is No Longer Just About Google – Being found in AI-generated answers will become just as important as traditional SEO rankings.
What This Means for Business Owners and Marketing Agencies:
Content needs to be AI-friendly – Clear, value-driven, and easily interpreted by AI search.
Brand trust is crucial – AI often prioritizes trusted, authoritative sources.
Visibility goes beyond Google – AI discovery tools are now part of the buyer journey.
Are you adapting your strategy for AI-driven search, or is this all just more hype? Please comment—I’d love to hear how you’re search habits are changing.
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