The Demise of SERPs: How AI Text Generator Will Transform Google SERPs

Satesh singh
Sep 19
14 min read

Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are the pages displayed by search engines like Google, after inputting a query by a user. A search engine results page will usually provide a mixture of organic results (identified by relevance), ads (paid), a featured snippet, images, and/or other rich results. Over the years, getting to page one of Google’s SERP has been the dream of many digital marketers.

how AI Text Generator killing serp | harnium

And with Google processing over 5 trillion searches per year, and holding roughly 80-90% of the global search market share, a brand's visibility on SERPs drives their SEO (search engine optimization) strategy, PPC (pay-per-click) campaign, or content marketing.

But, a new way is emerging. Conversational AI and generative modalities - which we will call Ai Text Generator or Ai-Generated Text - are changing how users find information. ChatGPT, Claude from Anthropic, Perplexity AI, Gemini from Google, and others, are now answering users' questions directly in a chat interface.

Instead of scanning a list of links on a SERP to find the right article to read, a user can converse directly with an AI assistant by typing or speaking a query and receive a synthesized answer in prose format on the spot. This is rapidly changing how users engage with the content and how marketers will operate and market.

The Rise of AI Text Generator as Primary Information Sources

Generative AI has exploded onto the scene since late 2022. ChatGPT (OpenAI's conversational AI) was released to the public in November 2022 and made an immediate impact. Within 2 years, it grew to 700 million weekly active users, an entirely unprecedented growth curve. A succession of other AI text assistants launched after ChatGPT raised the volumes of Generative AI sharply:

Claude by Anthropic, Perplexity AI (an AI search engine) and most recently Gemini from Google and Bing Chat (Copilot). In fact, Google suggests that features like AI Overviews (AI-generated answer panels on search) now have more than 2 billion monthly active users, compared to 1.5B in mid-2025 and the Gemini app hit 450 million monthly users by mid-2025.

Increasingly, individuals are using these AI Text Generator to acquire their information. According to an Adobe-run survey (May 2025), 77% of U.S. users of ChatGPT characterize its use as a search engine. One in four reported that their first action when searching for information was to go to ChatGPT instead of Google.

The number of people who use AI assistants to get quick, relevant answers rather than click on search results is increasing as well. For instance, a separate e-commerce study found that 61% of U.S. adults used AI tools for shopping in 2025, up from 42% in 2023. The same research predicted that 58% of shoppers will prefer AI-based search tools versus traditional search engines in 2025, which is quite striking.

Younger generations are already ahead of the curve: 58% of Gen Z shoppers have used AI in searching for new products to buy, and 24% of U.S. consumers (especially Gen Z) say that they prefer ChatGPT to Google when looking for general information.

This interactive, conversational mode enjoyed by users is being demonstrated to be highly satisfying to users. Indeed, OpenAI’s own findings (Sept 2025) indicate that 49% of ChatGPT conversational interactions were “Asking” questions about information or advice, while an additional 40% was characterized as “Doing” (writing, planning, coding). The result of these actions is that many information seeking activities which previously began with a Google search, now begin with an Ai assistant.

These Ai Text Generator are rapidly scaling. The ChatGPT website was the #5 website that generated global traffic by April 2025 with an estimated 5.2 billion monthly visits. Perplexity AI (a new “AI search engine”) grew over 205% year over year to over 160 million monthly visits as of early 2025. Microsoft reported 100 million monthly active users on Bing Chat in the U.S. and India (early 2025).

In the “base” dimension, ChatGPT alone generated about 8.7% as many search queries per day as Google (1.18 versus 14-16 billion). Even if AI chat answers only represent a percentage of all searches today, their growth is extraordinary: AI chat traffic is increasing 80-81% year-on-year (April 2024-March 2025), whereas Google’s traffic is largely flat or slightly down (-0.5%).

As one marketer put it, ChatGPT, for instance, summarizes complex topics efficiently (cited by a total of 54% of users), and it generally requires less clicks than a conventional search. This change is already occurring. For numerous queries, users believe that ChatGPT gives a quicker or more personalized answer than scrolling through web links.

Data on the Transition: URLs and Patterns

What’s the speed of this transition? The data show a jumble of mixed signals, but overall provide a meaningful narrative. In raw volume, traditional search continues to dwarf AI chat, but this gap is closing fast (albeit AI is the fastest growing channel). From April 2024 to March 2025, web analytics firm OneLittleWeb (via Webbiquity) found that AI chatbots' traffic surged 80.9% (from 30.5 billion to 55.2 billion visits).

In the same time frame, search engine traffic traffic remained close to flat (1.87 trillion → 1.86 trillion visits). After this explosive AI growth, traffic to chatbots was still only 2.96% of search related traffic, meaning for every visit/interaction to the entire category of chatbots, Google and the other search engines received 34 times more traffic. Or put another way, despite the meteoric rise of ChatGPT, search engines are still receiving approximately 30 x more visits than all AI chatbots combined.

Observing one-day usage shows the difference: in March 2025, search engines had ~5.5 billion users per day (≈155 billion users per month) and figures for all AI chatbots approximated 233 million users per day (≈4.6 billion users per month) - that's more than a 24:1 ratio in favor of traditional search.

Even as people try AI tools, human behavior is overwhelmingly driven by Google and other search giants. A recent Search Engine Land report shows that, in less than two months - in August 2025 - 95.3% of ChatGPT had also searched Google (and only 4.7% did not), whereas only 14.3% of Google search users had searched ChatGPT. ChatGPT had 5.8 billion users in August, compared to Google search 83.8 billion users.

Marketers are taking notice: two-thirds of surveyed marketers believe appearing in AI-powered answers will be critical for their brand in 2025 and nearly half of business owners have already adopted ChatGPT for their marketing tasks and services, with 76% responding that having their content appear amongst AI answers will be as important as Traditional SEO.

Searches that provide an answer without and click are becoming more frequent. Bain & Company reports that about 60 percent of Google searches now do not result in a click.

Effects on Markets: SaaS, E-commerce, and B2B Marketing

Shift to AI Search is not an overall trend – it poses specific challenges for industries reliant on online discovery. Industries such as SaaS (Software as a Service), e-commerce sellers, and B2B marketing should all be paying attention.

•SaaS Companies: Usually, SaaS buyers engage in their research by looking at features, comparisons, and pricing online. Traditionally, this started with a Google search ("best CRM for small business" or "top email marketing software," etc.). Many prospective buyers, on the other hand, are instead asking Ai Text Generator directly.

As noted by FastSpring an increase in customers are instead, "asking ChatGPT to compare your product features, asking AI tools for a personalized recommendation," instead of Googling a generic keyword. In other words, ChatGPT and Gemini are the new front door for SaaS discovery.

This has massive ramifications for SaaS providers - if we say the AI assistant responds to a user's question "What's the best email marketing platform?" And none of the responses showed your website, the traffic you would have gotten is gone.

•E-commerce: There is a parallel shift going on in online shopping and e-commerce features. Customers are already using voice and image search on e-retail sites, and now they are turning to AI chat for product discovery and recommendation.

E-commerce research shows as many as 60-61% of U.S. adults will use or have used AI tools to assist with their shopping by 2025, and the fastest growth will be among frequent shoppers and Gen Z.

Also, it should be noted that by 2025, 58% of shoppers will prefer to use AI tools in place of traditional search, suggesting a majority will begin their product research on a chatbot or virtual assistant. For instance, rather than typing “red running shoes” into a search engine, a person will ask ChatGPT for suggestions and style tips.

•B2B Marketing: Research-heavy, long sales cycle approaches are the norm for business-to-business purchases. B2B purchasers are starting to leverage AI in their own research. Research indicates that B2B marketers are actively leveraging AI: 80% planning to develop AI driven marketing practices by 2025, and 63% of B2B marketers directly connecting their use of AI to increased revenue.

Chatbots can qualify leads, respond to RFQs, or set meetings, to help improve efficiencies. BusinessDasher reported that 26% of U.S. B2B marketers received a 10-20% lift in leads with chatbots and 99% of those surveyed believed that AI chatbots help them conversion rates.

On the other hand, B2B content strategies can require change: going beyond long whitepapers and blog Posts, marketers need to think about how AI bots will represent that content.

Across these sectors, one predominant theme shines through, the customer journey is becoming both increasingly conversational and fragmented.

Changes to SEO, PPC and Content Strategies

The transition to AI-generated answers will change digital marketing strategies forever. Generative AI is rewriting the SEO/PPC playbook:

•SEO Changes: AI chat and summaries are showing up on SERPs and organic click-through is declining. As noted above, around 60% of queries will not yield an organic click. Many times, the conclusion to search queries ends up either in an AI-generated answer, knowledge panel, or featured snippet - sometimes with a sponsored link - but without the searcher clicking any website.

SEO people refer to this trend as the "zero-click" revolution. The irony now is that being ranked #1 is not equivalent to website traffic. Industry analyses suggest Google's new AI "Search Generative Experience" can reduce organic clicks - in some cases as high as nearly 64% - for informational queries. This trend has concerned major content publishers. HubSpot reported a 75% decline in SEO traffic after Google added AI answers; and other studies have shown similar trends.

Some marketers are discussing Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) or Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), focused on being found by AI tools. For example, brands should not just optimize content for a keyword; they should establish authoritative reference answers for ChatGPT or Bing Chat to quote.

One expert articulates: “We used to optimize for humans who use Google. Now we’re optimizing for AI that reads Google for humans”.

•Changes in PPC (Paid Search): One could ponder that AI chat could ultimately mean that Google Ads is dead – users are no longer clicking on links, so why pay for clicks? However, Google and other companies are already changing their ad model. Around the middle of 2025, Google's Marketing Live event announced that paid advertisements will be included in search results that are powered by AI.

Google Search's AI Overviews and AI Mode now feature Search and Shopping ads alongside the AI-generated summary of what is being asked. In practice, searching for something more conversational, like "long flights with dogs", may generate a sponsored product ad as part of the AI answer. Microsoft's Bing Chat has hinted that it will also provide similar support for ads in the future.

•Modifications to Content Strategy: Content marketing will have to change in the AI era. Because AI answers tend to prefer clear, informative, and logically structured content, old models of long-form blog posts stuffed with thousands of fluffy keywords are increasingly ineffective. Now, short-form, distinctive content in the form of bullet-point lists or 'summarized takeaways', will outperform long paragraphs of content.

Posts that answer frequently asked questions in a list format, for example, are far more likely to be seen quoted by an AI tool. Research conducted by Adobe demonstrates that data-driven formats like "how-to" guides and lists are considered among the best examples in terms of AI discovery. Therefore, brands should conduct content audits and seek opportunities to enhance their existing content into snippet-friendly formats.

Predictions and Expert Commentary (Next 3-5 Years)

Looking ahead, what’s next? Industry experts weigh in, and most seem to agree we are in the beginning innings of a major, sustained change. Google’s dominance and market share isn’t going away tomorrow, but the word “search” is having a new meaning. Here are some nosy perspectives, looking ahead:

•Search and AI Will Coexist: Experts and analysts predict a hybrid future. "SEO isn't dead, it's just different," says Patrick Reinhart (Conductor VP). Generative AI and search engines will continue, or eventually coexist. Trends emerging by early-2025 show Google rolling out AI features (AI Overviews, integration with Gemini) while still indexing billions of pages. Aleyda Solis (SearchEngineland) observes that large language models (LLMs) are “expanding and evolving (not killing) search”.

We will see more hybrid experiences in the next 3–5 years: voice- or chat-based queries that still bring in web results, and traditional searches supplemented by conversational snippets.

• Continued AI Adoption: Surveys and forecasts suggest generative AI will only increase. The Adobe survey shows business owners planning to put more significant emphasis on AI (76% say AI will be essential regarding visibility by 2025).

Google itself is betting heavily: in May 2025 they announced plans to integrate Google Bard (Gemini) into Android and Chrome, essentially making conversational AI ubiquitous. Analysts predict within 5 years conversational AI could address double-digit share of search queries.

• Monetization and Ads: Between 2028-2030, major platforms will introduce monetization within AI search. Google's announcement in 2025 of ad placements in "AI Mode" is likely only the beginning.

• Technology Evolution: The AI tools themselves will improve. OpenAI's recent acquisition of a custom AI-device start-up to develop "dedicated" hardware hints at a future where the AI search experience will be built on in the form of specialized AI search gadgets or apps. Google's Gemini and Microsoft's Copilot will likewise become more accurate and may pull live web data, rather than just web trained data.

It is possible that AI search will become on-device (no browser required). These developments are likely to improve the speed and reliability of AI answers, thereby improving adoption.

• Regulatory and Trust Factors: There's an emerging recognition that AI answers can hallucinate or be biased. In the coming years, regulators and firms will demand AI answers to be accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. We will likely see this trend with Google (with its "Google SGE" labeled answers).

In the future, AI models will have live fact checking or references to real sources (the “Groove” model being developed by Meta for example). Brands may look for official “verified answers” (e.g. verified knowledge panels or structured data) to increase the likelihood of AI tools displaying their content first.

To summarize, the 3–5 years outlook will bring significant changes. The likelihood of which includes:

(a) a large percentage of searches will go through AI assistants;

(b) traditional SERPs will include more AI (and ad) features;

(d) a rebalance of channels to acquire consumer attention.

Actionable Insights & Future-Proofing Strategies:

With the large spectrum of changes how can marketing professionals and business owners respond now? Although there will no doubt be uncertainties, there are strategies that can future-proof your visibility in the digital landscape:

•Adopt a Both/And Approach: You don’t want to give up on SEO or PPC in Google – invest in AI channels too. Keep optimizing your site and content for traditional search rankings (keywords, backlinks, mobile UX, etc.) while also optimizing for AI discovery.

This means answering (FAQs, schema, clear answers) creating topical authority, and your info must be crawlable by AI. According to Xponent21’s analysis, “brands should make sure that their content is accessible, and can be found and cited by AI engines”.

•Build Authoritativeness: AI models pull from trusted sources, and brand trust is a big deal, right now. You will want to build your site’s authority through thought-leadership, original data, press, and quality back-linking to increase authority.

Technical tips help too - always use structured data (schema) to highlight entities, products and facts, both as elements of off-page SEO and on-page website quality signals.

For instance, creating rich markup for FAQs, specifications, event information and articles will assist AI systems in recognizing and displaying this content. Also consider hosting such content in the form of “explainers” or encyclopedic.

Broadly speaking, generative AI will suggest knowledge and adding your site as a reference (a la Wikipedia or authoritative blogs) builds your citation record.

•Focus on Content Quality and Length: AI Overviews and chatbots gravitate towards longer, comprehensive answers. Simple pages with answers in one sentence are also prone to get buried. Instead, aim to produce unique, in-depth content. Case studies, long-form guides, and reports heavy on facts and data that will set you apart.

These types of content are appealing when read by an actual human contact, but they also attract AI assistants looking for citations.

You should also consider helpfulness.Diversify Your Search Presence. Always be thinking about searching beyond Google.

Consider new platforms like Bing chat, DuckDuckGo’s AI, Alexa, and, yes, even TikTok Search. The Workshop Digital guide notes that users are finding "alternative platforms such as AI-powered Bing, TikTok Search, ChatGPT plugins and AI-driven voice assistants."

•Experiment with Ads in AI Contexts: These platforms all have new ad units being rolled out in the context of AI search features, so it's best to get ahead of this and try ads when you can. For example, Google placed ads in AI Overviews and "AI Mode" on mobile. If possible, bid test AI-intent keywords if bidding is available.

Watch for Microsoft's ad products for Bing Chat. Ads on voice platforms and in-app promotions for chat services could be other areas to investigate. Budget for innovation: the reality is some percentage of your ad budget should be set aside for exploratory testing in AI-driven channels. Then when AI placements generally become accepted, you'll have the data and learnings already.

•Identify New Metrics: Traditional metrics need to evolve. Since zero-click searches give you no click data, axis your attention on brand visibility and brand sentiment. Pay attention to how often your brand appears in Google Discover,

"People Also Ask" and AI answers on search results pages, if it applies. Some SEO tools are now starting to track "AI visibility" (i.e., how often a site is cited by AI). In addition, consider changes in inbound traffic for any correlated increase in direct traffic, branded traffic or referral traffic, if your organic clicks are going down. Marketers also look at engagement metrics in interactive channels.

•Use AI (Internally): Your audience uses AI to discover new information so you should also use AI to work smarter. Use ChatGPT, or any similar tool, to conduct content ideation, rapid prototyping, and data analysis but make sure you validate and, most importantly, humanize the output.

If needed, use as your first-draft copy ideation or a punchy headline generator to help speed up production while you add the human component. Train your team on the tools to help boost productivity.

• Plan for Customer Trust and Safety: It's important to remember that trust often comes into question with AI search. Some portion of users doubt AI veracity. Keep investing in trust through transparency: Publish content that's current and sourced so the AI responses are less prone to need caveats.

In the "age of generative AI", some third-party trust signals (reviews, security certifications, prominent branding) may be more important too as users don't "click through" to verify. Keep in mind the nature of regulations too: New legislation could require the disclosure of AI-generated content or data privacy, which could affect how the marketing tools using AI would need to function.

Conclusion

We have reached a critical juncture in digital discovery. Since the advent of Google SERPs, this has defined how we discover information and make purchases online. With the rapid growth of Ai Text Generator platforms, that is changing before our eyes.

Data suggest that people are increasingly turning to AI assistants to answer questions (a sizable portion of ChatGPT users state that they use it like a search engine), and traffic through AI chats is exploding (80%+ growth on year-on-year basis). At the same time, traditional search continues to dominate overall, hence experts recommending that these be coexisted, instead of competing.

In 3 - 5 years’ time, expect a world where asking your AI assistant a question will become as natural (if not more so) as typing into a search engine like Google. Marketers who have a mindset of agility and who are continually integrating Ai Text Generator into their marketing strategy will flourish. Those who limit themselves to old SERP methods will find that their.