Google Still Owns Search—But ChatGPT Is Changing the Game
BrightEdge data shows a growing split in how AI tools guide users—Google delivers information, while ChatGPT drives action. Here's what that means for the future of search.
New data from the enterprise SEO firm BrightEdge reveals how artificial intelligence is redefining the search industry. Does it suggest that Google’s dominance is coming to an end? No, but it shows what the next era of search is shaping up to look like, one where task-oriented assistants like ChatGPT increasingly handle decision-making and action, while Google remains rooted in information retrieval.
Generative AI and agents are already impacting how companies and publishers optimize their content for search engines. Although Google still holds a virtual monopoly on search, challengers like ChatGPT and Perplexity are quickly gaining traction. But this isn’t just another Google versus Yahoo or Bing scenario—ChatGPT isn’t competing on the same terms. Users are turning to it for entirely different purposes, marking a shift in how search itself is being used.
Information vs. Action
“AI search is no longer one thing—it’s splitting into at least two distinct philosophies,” Jim Yu, BrightEdge’s chief executive, says in a statement. “While Google thrives as a research assistant, ChatGPT acts like a trusted coach for decision making, and that difference shapes which tool users instinctively choose for different needs.”
BrightEdge’s research finds that when it comes to comparing options, Google and ChatGPT tend to agree. However, in situations where users want to take action, the two platforms diverge—Google serves up guides, articles, and institutional content while ChatGPT surfaces products, apps, and task-based tools. In other words, Google leans towards information delivery, while ChatGPT prioritizes execution, reflecting a broader shift toward AI models designed to help users do, not just learn.
BrightEdge studied four major industries to analyze the extent of the divergence between Google and ChatGPT:
Healthcare (62 percent divergence): When asked “how to find a doctor,” ChatGPT favored consumer apps while Google favored institutional listings; but when comparing medical information sites, both suggested authoritative sites
B2B Tech (47 percent divergence): When asked “how to deploy an app,” ChatGPT pointed to developer tools while Google leaned on community tutorials
Education (45 percent divergence): When asked “how to learn Python,” ChatGPT would steer people to course platforms, while Google pointed to user-generated content such as GitHub and Medium
Finance (39 percent divergence): When asked “how to create a budget,” ChatGPT pushes apps like Mint and YNAB, but Google shows links to editorial content from NerdWallet and blog articles
“The pattern is unmistakable. When users ask what to do next, ChatGPT suggests tools. Google gives them more to read,” Yu states. “Given that consumers are increasingly using diverse AI models for varied needs, the imperative for marketers is clear: How can they optimize once to win everywhere?”
Advice For Brands and Marketers?
AI search is forcing publishers to rethink how they produce content. The years spent perfecting material for traditional SEO are no longer enough. Marketers now face the challenge of creating content that performs across both conventional search engines and AI-driven interfaces.
Back when Google first introduced its AI Overview, Yu recommended an approach where content was structured in a way that models could extract, synthesize, and cite. It favored clear headings, direct answers, and topical authority. But what advice does he have now for search engines that have differing intentions? Will marketers need to create numerous variations of the same piece of content?
BrightEdge’s research doesn’t provide a definitive answer, save for promoting its AI Catalyst platform, a tool helping marketers optimize their content across traditional and AI-driven search engines. However, Yu’s suggestions probably still hold water, and brands should be vigilant in monitoring where and how their content appears on Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI search engines. Multiple versions may be needed depending on whether different intents are being targeted, but at the very least, marketers should be intentional about the structure, clarity, and versatility of the content.