As GenAI-powered search engines like ChatGPT’s SearchGPT and Perplexity integrate web search capabilities into their models, they introduce a new dynamic into the traditional search ecosystem.
On the surface, the ability for users to receive summarised, context-rich responses directly from an AI Assistant like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, appears to be a no-brainer—an advancement that enhances user experience by providing instant access to information.
However, this shift also disrupts the established relationship between content creators and search engines, raising questions about the sustainability of content-driven business models.
Breaking the Traditional Model
The traditional search engine model is built on a mutually beneficial relationship: websites produce content that search engines index, and in return, these websites gain traffic from users who click through from search engine results. This traffic is crucial for site owners, who can then monetise visitors through ads, subscriptions, or other engagement techniques. However, when Generative AI-powered search engines like Perplexity summarise content directly within their interfaces, users may no longer feel the need to visit the original websites. This fundamentally breaks the value exchange that has supported the growth of the internet as a content-rich environment.
The implications of this disruption are already becoming evident. For example, Condé Nast recently issued a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity, accusing the AI startup of breaching copyright and using its content without permission. This action underscores a growing concern among publishers that AI-driven search could undermine their ability to monetise content, leading to potential financial challenges for content creators.
Beyond publishers, this issue also affects commercial organisations providing products or services, as well as charities and other non-profits that rely heavily on web traffic to engage users, generate leads, and drive conversions. For these entities, AI summarisation may reduce the likelihood of users visiting their sites, thereby diminishing opportunities to build relationships, drive sales, secure donations, or fulfil other key organisational goals.
The Impact on Google’s Dominance
The integration of AI-driven search is poised to disrupt Google’s long-standing dominance in the search engine market. Google’s revenue model, which heavily relies on paid search placements and keyword advertising, could be undermined as AI assistants provide direct answers to users’ queries, reducing the need for traditional search engine results.
Despite Microsoft’s substantial investments in Bing—amounting to billions of dollars over the years—it holds less than 10% of the search market. However, the shift towards AI could level the playing field, allowing Bing and other emerging AI platforms to challenge Google’s supremacy.
This change could also impact Apple’s lucrative deal with Google, worth up to $12 billion annually, as the value of being the default search engine on iOS devices may diminish in an AI-centric search landscape.
Exploring Potential Solutions
To address these concerns, several solutions have been proposed that aim to preserve the convenience of AI-powered search while maintaining the incentives for content creation.
Enhanced Click-Through Mechanisms: One approach involves integrating a side window or panel within the AI Assistants that displays the sources of the summarised content. This idea, shown in the SearchGPT demos, would make it easier for users to access and click through to the original articles. This method not only increases transparency but also helps drive traffic back to the content creators, preserving the traditional model of content monetisation.
Search Layout with Summarised and Linked Content: Another solution is to adopt a layout similar to Bing’s AI-powered search, where summarised results are presented alongside clickable links. This dual approach ensures that while users receive a quick overview, they also have a clear path to explore the source material in more detail. By prominently displaying these links, AI platforms can encourage users to engage with the original content, thereby supporting the traditional traffic-based revenue model.
Revenue-Sharing Models: AI companies like Perplexity have begun exploring revenue-sharing agreements with publishers. This model offers content creators a share of the revenue generated through AI-driven interactions with their content. By combining this approach with enhanced click-through mechanisms, AI platforms can create a more sustainable environment for content creation.
Content Usage Control and Licensing: Providing publishers with greater control over how their content is used and displayed by AI platforms is another potential solution. OpenAI’s SearchGPT, for example, allows publishers to manage how their content is surfaced and to opt out of certain usages. Licensing agreements can formalise these arrangements, ensuring that publishers are fairly compensated while still allowing AI to enhance user search experiences.
The Path Forward: Adapting to AI’s Impact on the Web
The integration of web search into AI Assistants like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini offers significant benefits for users and will likely see rapid adoption, but it also challenges the traditional content monetisation model.
To ensure that content creators continue to have the incentive to produce high-quality material, AI platforms must adopt innovative solutions that balance user convenience with the economic realities of content creation. By implementing features that promote clickable search results, revenue-sharing models, and providing content usage controls, AI platforms can foster a more collaborative and sustainable relationship with content creators.
These approaches represent a critical step toward preserving the vitality of the web’s information ecosystem while embracing the advancements brought by AI. The era of the SEO-centred content strategy may shortly come to pass, but just as the entertainment industry adapted from the physical sales of CDs and DVDs to the streaming model, so too will the web content landscape evolve to meet the challenges posed by GenAI-driven search results.
