I have to admit, with AI like ChatGPT, researching topics and looking up stuff on the internet has become a lot faster and easier. But am I spending less time on Google than I did before? Not really. However, Apple thinks otherwise, claiming that users are searching less than they did before.
Search on Safari is declining—or is it?
Apple SVP Eddy Cue made this statement. During a court testimony the other day, Cue told the judge that Apple found users searching less in Safari for the first time ever in April. He suggested that maybe users are now turning to AI alternatives, such as ChatGPT. However, Google doesn’t agree with this statement.
Google has released its own statement refuting Cue’s claims. “We continue to see overall query growth in Search. That includes an increase in total queries coming from Apple’s devices and platforms. More generally, as we enhance Search with new features, people are seeing that Google Search is more useful for more of their queries — and they’re accessing it for new things and in new ways, whether from browsers or the Google app, using their voice or Google Lens. We’re excited to continue this innovation and look forward to sharing more at Google I/O.”
So, why is Cue trying to make it sound like search is declining? Cue’s comments were made in the context of whether the Apple-Google search deal should be allowed to continue. Framing the notion that search isn’t as big a deal as it is anymore would be in Apple’s (and Google’s) favor.
Searching with AI is more efficient
That being said, it’s unsurprising that more people are turning to AI to search for information on the Internet. AI like ChatGPT is essentially trained on the Internet. This means that it already “knows” everything there is to know on the Internet, understands it, and can process it contextually.
This makes it a lot easier to use than traditional search engines such as Google. Typically, searching on Google means combing through dozens of websites to find what you want. Sometimes it’s not a bad thing. For example, if you’re looking for a product review, reading multiple reviews to get differing opinions is good.
However, sometimes having too many choices can slow down your work, especially if you’re just looking to find out a bit more information on something. For instance, searching for something like “What is 6G?” you might have to spend hours sifting through all the tech jargon and explanations. ChatGPT will be able to answer it in a few seconds in a simple-to-understand way.
