Can SearchGPT replace Google? What does it mean for SEO & SEM?

Will the era of Google’s dominance on Search Engine Marketing be over soon with OpenAI’s announcement on SearchGPT?

SearchGPT is a new AI search prototype that shifts the standard to conversational search instead of keywords-based search.

You’ll be able to ask questions and talk naturally to SearchGPT to get your questions answered. 

This is widely different from how you get information through Google.

Will SearchGPT be successful in replacing Google? Maybe… not so soon. What does it mean for the future of Search Advertising and Marketing? Let’s dive deeper below.

Why SearchGPT could be a big problem for Google (and why it couldn’t)

There’s definitely something different about SearchGPT. With more than 200 million monthly users, ChatGPT’s popularity could help SearchGPT be a potentially formidable competitor to Google Search.

However, financial sustainability could be a ticking time bomb for OpenAI. Primarily due to hardware expenses, they could face losses of up to $5 billion in 2024, with operational costs for ChatGPT alone estimated at $700,000 per day.

There isn’t a clear monetization strategy for the search business. How are they going to make money on this part of the business? This raises concerns about the long-term viability of these projects without a clear, profitable business model.

Guess what… Google Search is still Alphabet’s bread and butter

Alphabet has a lot to lose if it no longer holds its dominance in search. It’s not news that Google drives a considerable amount of money from ads related to Google Search.

More than half of the revenue (approx. US$49 Billion) Alphabet generated in its most recent quarter, which ended in June, was from revenue related to its “Google Search & Other” segment.

What about SearchGPT’s implication on SEO?

Even if SearchGPT is successful in replacing Google Search, or even the entire search engine segment, which still has a LONG way to go, the fundamental principles of optimizing content for these engines are the same. There’s a term gaining popularity these days, it’s called “Generative Engine Optimization” (GEO).

As long as marketers continue to know how to write high-quality and relevant content, how to deliver answers to the right users asking questions, and how to adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape, they will remain relevant, regardless if it’s SEO or GEO. 

The Bottom Line

OpenAI has only opened SearchGPT as a prototype to 10,000 users. The company still has to think of ways for users to integrate their daily lives into SearchGPT, and address any privacy or data concerns related to the adoption of this generative engine. Hence, it’s probable that SearchGPT won’t be able to replace Google Search anytime soon.