With the emergence of AI agents capable of in-depth research, the online search landscape is taking on a new shape. These tools promise detailed analyses in minutes, challenging the dominance of traditional search engines like Google. What will be the potential impact of these innovations on the online search industry?
Key points:
- Deep search agents, like OpenAI’s Deep Search, perform detailed analyses in minutes, reducing the need for multiple manual searches.
- Google has launched its AI mode in beta, a direct response to these new agents, but its impact on traditional website traffic is raising concerns.
- The personalization and conversational interaction offered by these agents could redefine how users access information online.
Since the advent of search engines, the way we access information has been transformed. Google, in particular, has established itself as the undisputed leader, responding to billions of queries daily. However, the recent emergence of artificial intelligence-based search agents, capable of providing detailed reports in record time, could well upset this balance. These technological innovations raise questions about the future of traditional search engines and their ability to adapt to these new challenges.
Deep search agents: a revolution in progress
Deep search agents, like OpenAI’s Deep Search, are designed to synthesize vast amounts of online information and perform complex search tasks for the user. Whether it’s for market research, buying a car, planning a trip, or getting a loan, these agents offer detailed analyses in minutes, saving hours of manual research.
For example, a query for “ best 7-seater hybrid family car in the $50,000-$80,000 price range ” led Deep Search to search 41 online results, analyze specialized articles, and compare the cargo capacities of different models. The report, generated in 10 minutes, provided a comprehensive summary, reducing the need for the user to browse each source individually.
The Benefits of Deep Search Agents
There are several factors that explain why deep search agents could redefine the online search landscape:
- Efficiency and time saving: These agents provide comprehensive answers in minutes, eliminating the need for multiple manual searches.
- Personalization : They offer the possibility of personalizing the sources consulted and the search criteria, providing an experience adapted to the specific needs of each user.
- Conversational interaction: Similar to an interaction with a salesperson in a store, these agents allow for an interactive exchange, where the user can delve deeper into certain aspects according to their needs.
- Adoption by other search engines: Engines like Bing have already integrated similar features, indicating a strong trend toward widespread adoption of these agents for complex queries.
The potential impact on Google and traditional search engines
The effectiveness and speed of deep search agents pose a potential threat to traditional search engines. These agents reduce the number of clicks required to obtain a complete answer, which could significantly reduce website traffic and, consequently, search engine advertising revenue.
In response, Google launched its “AI Mode” beta, an enhanced version of its artificial intelligence previews. However, studies have shown that these AI previews divert more clicks away from traditional search results than they redirect to cited sources. This suggests that AI Mode could exacerbate the decline in traffic to traditional websites, exacerbating the challenges already posed by deep search agents.
Bing: A new step in the evolution of deep search agents
In December 2023, Bing introduced a feature called “Deep Search,” aimed at providing users with detailed and rapid analyses. This initiative now positions Bing as a major player in the evolution of deep search agents, offering an alternative to tools developed by competing companies.
Bing’s Deep Search technology is designed to perform complex searches in a short time, although its analysis depth is slightly less than that of ChatGPT’s search agent. It’s worth noting that Grok also has its own Deep Search feature. Gemini and Perplexity, for their part, have a “Deep Search” feature. It’s hard to deny this paradigm shift that nothing seems able to stop!
