Google’s head of Search, Liz Reid, believes the biggest change in how people find information isn’t coming from artificial intelligence. It’s coming from the people themselves. She says younger users are turning away from traditional websites and leaning toward clips, forums, and creator posts. The shift has less to do with algorithms and more to do with habits that reflect where attention now lives.
Ads Still Hold Ground
Despite fears that AI Overviews would cut into advertising, Reid says revenue remains steady. When search becomes easier, people ask more questions, and that keeps the cycle going. Many informational searches never had ads, and the ones that do (like shopping or travel) still lead to a purchase step. She compares the transition to the mobile era, when smaller screens worried advertisers but ended up driving more engagement.
Search Habits Expand
Google’s data shows that convenience fuels curiosity. Tools like Lens encourage people to ask about things they once ignored because typing them out was too much work. Snap a photo, get an answer, and one more query is born. The same happens with AI Overviews. By collecting details from across several pages, they give users a faster starting point and prompt deeper follow-up questions.
A Growing Field, Not a Shrinking One
Reid sees competition from chatbots and new AI assistants as part of a broader expansion, not a threat. More ways to search mean more people searching. Google plans to grow its core service while exploring conversational tools such as Gemini. For her, the company’s strength lies in adapting both directions at once... keeping traditional search strong while testing new formats that could guide the next decade.
Keeping the Web Alive
Inside Google, teams focus heavily on keeping the wider web healthy. Reid calls it essential for Search to work. Inline source links, embedded videos, and personalized story feeds are meant to highlight trusted publishers and subscribed outlets. These additions are designed to make sure creators and media sites stay visible, even as AI summaries take a larger share of the results page.
Sorting What Matters
As AI-generated content spreads, Google’s filters are trying to separate useful material from filler. Pages that show care, expertise, and perspective rank higher. Thin or repetitive posts are pushed lower. User data shows that people prefer deeper reading that feels human. Those pages produce fewer bounce clicks, meaning visitors stay longer and return less often to adjust their search. That, in turn, signals quality.
A More Expressive Search
AI also changes how people phrase requests. Instead of plain keywords, they now write full thoughts... describing color, style, or personal values. A search for a dress might include where it’s made and who makes it. These richer prompts open space for small merchants and niche creators who match those details. For Google, the goal is to understand intent clearly and match each searcher with something specific to them.
Human Curiosity Remains the Core
Reid says search should still encourage learning, not replace it. AI can speed up discovery, but people continue to value authentic voices and viewpoints. The purpose of the new tools is to make exploration easier, especially for subjects that once felt too complex or time-consuming to start.
The Future of Search
For Google, maintaining trust is the central task. Search has carried that expectation for decades, and AI introduces a new layer of responsibility. The company’s future depends on keeping information open, reliable, and connected to real human experience. Technology can guide the process, but the direction still comes from the billions of people who choose to ask a question each day.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
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