For decades, internet users have relied on Google’s iconic ten blue links to navigate everything from vacation planning to shopping for denim. But times are changing quickly. A new era is emerging—one where AI-powered chatbots handle the search process on behalf of users.
Fresh research from Adobe highlights the growing influence of AI-driven search as a major source of traffic for online retailers. The company examined over 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail websites through its analytics platform and surveyed more than 5,000 U.S. consumers to better grasp how people are adopting AI in their search habits.
According to Adobe’s findings, referrals from AI search engines skyrocketed by 1,300 percent during the 2024 holiday season compared to the previous year. On Cyber Monday alone, the surge was even more dramatic—a staggering 1,950 percent increase. While these figures reflect explosive growth, they aren’t entirely surprising, given that AI-based search was still in its infancy in 2023.
What stands out even more are the engagement statistics: users arriving via AI search links tend to remain on a site 8 percent longer, view 12 percent more pages, and are 23 percent less likely to bounce than those referred by traditional search engines like Google or Bing. These metrics suggest AI tools may be funneling users toward more relevant and valuable content compared to conventional search methods.
However, the rollout of generative AI search solutions has been far from flawless. When Google introduced AI Overviews (formerly called the Search Generative Experience or SGE) nearly a year ago, things quickly spiraled into chaos. Early users were famously advised to add glue to pizza to make cheese stick, consume small rocks daily, and were falsely informed that former President Barack Obama was the first Muslim U.S. president. These missteps led to widespread criticism and skepticism.
Another notable player in the AI search space is Perplexity, a startup now valued at an eye-popping $9 billion. Its chatbot-driven AI search system integrates advertising but has already found itself embroiled in legal disputes. In June, a Forbes editor accused Perplexity of wholesale plagiarism when its newly introduced feature created web pages summarizing the work of his team. At the time, CEO Aravind Srinivas acknowledged the platform had “rough edges” and pledged improvements. Still, Forbes threatened legal action, and News Corp initiated an active lawsuit for copyright infringement.
Despite such controversies, OpenAI joined the race last year by launching its own AI search feature inside ChatGPT. Learning from the mistakes of its predecessors, OpenAI unveiled the service as a prototype, aiming to avoid viral blunders. It also secured a variety of media partnerships, including one with Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company, and issued a press release promising publishers greater control over how their content is surfaced through ChatGPT.
At this point, AI-powered search appears to be here for the long haul, with consumers eagerly adapting to this evolving technology. Adobe’s survey of 5,000 individuals revealed that 39 percent use AI search tools for online shopping, 55 percent for conducting research, and 47 percent to get product recommendations. These statistics are highly attractive to advertisers. While both Perplexity and Google have already incorporated ads alongside AI search results, OpenAI has taken a different approach. According to TechCrunch, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that adding ads to ChatGPT would be a “last resort,” describing ads combined with AI as “uniquely unsettling.” However, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar suggested the company was exploring ad options, though a spokesperson later walked that statement back.
Even though OpenAI’s products are notoriously costly to operate—burning through substantial cash—the company’s ad-free model may be what draws users in. Many consumers are tired of ad-cluttered search results and SEO-driven spam. An AI search experience without commercial interference could be the key to its growing appeal.
Although it’s still early days, AI search has clearly captured the public’s interest. As users embrace this innovative way of discovering information online, many critics argue it offers a much-needed alternative to traditional search engines, which they claim have been compromised for years. The challenge ahead lies in ensuring AI search can remain free from the same pitfalls.
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