For almost 20 years, Google's search engine has been the go-to source for researching anything. But with the rise of generative AI, its stronghold is slipping. Consumers are increasingly turning to AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity when they have questions. According to a 2024 Ignite Visibility study, 62% of people now use ChatGPT or Google Gemini to explore products and services, showing that AI answers are quickly becoming the starting point for decisions.
Google Search Console reporting seems off since last week. Plus, third party Google tracking tools reporting is mostly broken since the Google 100 search results parameter going away. Google did not add AI Overview tracking in Search Console, that was fake news. Structured data does not help with AI visibility, not yet at least. FTC is investigating Google over ad pricing and terms.