[mbrumlow]

I think much of what Google was used for by many including probably yourself we called search, but it was really asking for answers.

Link are good for search. Where wherever algo leads you to data that may have information you are looking for.

On the other hand, if I just want the answer to a specific question, then links, that we tolerated for so long are bad. They are bad because once presented I now I have to dig and sort through the data to find the answer. It will nearly always be in a different format than the last and take away mental stamina that could be applied to the actual task I am trying to accomplish.

Google, if they stick to links, will continue to be a good search company. The problem is people don’t and did not actually want to search, they simply wanted answers. And thus this is why the entire industry of search will probably go away.

Google is going to have to make a decision. Continue to be search, a product in which demand is dwindling, or be in the business is providing answers.

[paleotrope]

The problem is when you say 'answers' what is provided are 'curated answers' which is what google has been doing which explains the terrible spam links. SEO is a way to provide an answer but usually not the one you want.

[mbrumlow]

Curated answers are not the same sort of answer I am talking about. In no way are answers generated by openAI really curated ( barring some political drama ).

Google understands that people want answers, and thus why they implemented answers.

A big problem for Google is I don’t think their revenue model works well with actual answers. Nobody cares about going to the site any more. In fact I am sure there were many talks internally at Google limiting what sort of answers they do provide that would result in less clicks on links.

Ad driven search as we know it is dead. For pay chat bots have a good chance of replacing ad driven speech.

SEO is effectively dead with AI chat system, thus again putting googles future in jeopardy.

Googles executives need to decide if they are going to be blockbuster, Redbox or Netflix, time is running out.